What is the main goal of exploratory testing?

The primary goal of exploratory testing is to discover issues through informal testing. This approach emphasizes the tester's creativity and intuition, allowing them to explore the software without the constraints of predefined test cases. Testers engage with the application in real-time, using their knowledge and experience to investigate functionality, identify areas of potential risk, and uncover defects that may not have been considered in a scripted testing approach.

Exploratory testing is particularly valuable in Agile environments where requirements may change rapidly, making it difficult to rely solely on predefined tests. Testers can adapt their focus based on their observations and findings, which can lead to more comprehensive and insightful test coverage. This technique encourages testers to think critically and act instinctively, ultimately enhancing the quality of the software being evaluated.

In contrast, executing predefined test cases is a more structured approach that may miss issues due to its limited scope. Automating testing processes is more about the efficiency of executing tests rather than exploring new functionalities. Evaluating test completion criteria is a separate activity related to assessing whether testing is sufficient, which does not align directly with the goal of exploratory testing.