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difference between alpha Testing and beta testing

Total Answers and Comments: 8

Last Update: September 18, 2009 Asked by: Mohan Rakesh

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Submitted by: Sushma Mosali

Alpha Test: The first test of newly developed hardware or software in a laboratory setting. When the first round of bugs has been fixed, the product goes into beta test with actual users. For custom software, the customer may be invited into the vendor's facilities for an alpha test to ensure the client's vision has been interpreted properly by the developer.

Beta Test: A test of new or revised hardware or software that is performed by users at their facilities under normal operating conditions. Beta testing follows alpha testing. Vendors of packaged software often offer their customers the opportunity of beta testing new releases or versions, and the beta testing of elaborate products such as operating systems can take months

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Sushma

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July 17, 2008 16:33:46

sprdpr

Member Since: July 2008 Contribution: 1

RE: difference between alpha Testing and beta testing

If the project or product is developed for multiple customers acceptance testing will be conducted in two phases called Alpha and Beta testing.

Alpha: Acceptance testing conducted by the customer in the developed environment.

This testing will be conducted to identify all the potential issues before releasing it(product/project) to the customers.

Beta: Acceptance testing conducted by the multiple customers in the customer environment.

Alpha and beta always prefered for the products.

Correct me if im wrong.

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August 12, 2008 09:40:12

samir_8956

Member Since: August 2008 Contribution: 3

RE: difference between alpha Testing and beta testing

Alpha testing is the testing conducted by the customer at development environment to check whether the product being developed is matching the requirements.

Beta testing is the testing conducted by the end user to check whether the product behavior in customer environment is similar to its behavior in test environment.

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August 26, 2008 00:20:53

Sushma Mosali

Member Since: June 2007 Contribution: 269

RE: difference between alpha Testing and beta testing

Alpha Test: The first test of newly developed hardware or software in a laboratory setting. When the first round of bugs has been fixed the product goes into beta test with actual users. For custom software the customer may be invited into the vendor's facilities for an alpha test to ensure the client's vision has been interpreted properly by the developer.

Beta Test: A test of new or revised hardware or software that is performed by users at their facilities under normal operating conditions. Beta testing follows alpha testing. Vendors of packaged software often offer their customers the opportunity of beta testing new releases or versions and the beta testing of elaborate products such as operating systems can take months

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Sushma

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November 12, 2008 11:41:19

shruhti

Member Since: November 2008 Contribution: 2

RE: difference between alpha Testing and beta testing

alpha testing is done inside the company but beta testing is done outside the copmany by real users.

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November 20, 2008 05:09:25

prajeshbe

Member Since: February 2007 Contribution: 15

RE: difference between alpha Testing and beta testing

Let me explain about these two types of testing.

Both of these testings are done by clients only. Only difference is the place where the testing takes place.

In Alpha testing client comes to testing environment and will do testing while 80 of the application has been developed and tested

In Beta testing complete application package will be installed in client environment (ie) Real time environment and will do testing in the application which is completed (100 ) development and testing

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February 20, 2009 00:54:29

srinivasulub1981

Member Since: December 2005 Contribution: 377

RE: difference between alpha Testing and beta testing

Once software gets completed will testing and retesting then it needs to pass from 2 more phases ie Alpha and Beta testing.

Alpha : Performed by the testers or users at development site and it's considered as internal acceptance testing to goes to Beta testing if at all any issues found immly devs will fix those issues.

Beta: It comes after alpha testing can done by limited no.of external users or by customers in a real time environment. It can have versions in every versions found bugs were fixed.

Srinivas

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June 13, 2009 00:23:11

mathan_vel

Member Since: December 2007 Contribution: 413

RE: difference between alpha Testing and beta testing

# Alpha testing is simulated or actual operational testing by potential users/customers or an independent test team at the developers' site. Alpha testing is often employed for off-the-shelf software as a form of internal acceptance testing before the software goes to beta testing.

# Beta testing comes after alpha testing. Versions of the software known as beta versions are released to a limited audience outside of the programming team. The software is released to groups of people so that further testing can ensure the product has few faults or bugs. Sometimes beta versions are made available to the open public to increase the feedback field to a maximal number of future users.

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September 17, 2009 02:17:13

nikitasbagwe

Member Since: September 2009 Contribution: 1

RE: difference between alpha Testing and beta testing

Alpha testing is a UAT testing done at Developers site where you have developers avaliable at any time to help you

Beta testing - is a UAT testing done at Customer site where you might find developers not avaliable all the time hence customers need to report the defect and same is rectified at the developer site.

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