What is alpha testing and beta testing? How are they different from each other?

alpha testing can be done at inside a company.
Beta testing done by the end user. Product is available at free of cost and end user uses it and if he got any deviations, those are posted to them.

hi swaroop,

Alpha testing

It 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

It 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

Thanks
Deepasree

UAT at developers' site in the customer like environment is Alpha Testing.

UAT at customers' site on their own systems is Beta Testing.

The team who are doing Alpha/Beta Testing could be end users themselves, or developer company selected UAT Tester team or even Client company selected UAT Tester team. However, they apply the End User developed tests to the s/w, which is why it is called Alpha / Beta UAT Testing.

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