What is a test oracle used for?

A test oracle is a critical component in software testing that serves as a source of truth for determining the expected outcomes of tests. Its primary function is to provide a basis against which the actual results obtained from test execution can be compared. This means that when a tester executes test cases, the test oracle helps to indicate what the results should be, making it essential for validating the software’s correctness.

In the context of software testing, an oracle can take various forms, such as documentation that describes the expected behavior, specifications, or even the software itself when it is known to be correct. The ability to compare actual outcomes to these expected results allows testers to identify discrepancies, effectively indicating whether the software is functioning as intended.

The other options relate to activities and roles that are important in the testing process, such as the creation of test cases, resource management, and team training, but they do not capture the specific purpose of a test oracle, which is focused on establishing expected results for comparison after executing tests.