What is the purpose of regression testing?

The purpose of regression testing is to ensure that modifications made to a software application do not introduce new defects in existing functionalities. This is particularly important in agile development environments where changes are made frequently and rapidly. After changes such as bug fixes, enhancements, or updates, regression testing re-evaluates the application to confirm that previously working features remain unaffected.

While new features and performance improvements are vital components of the software development lifecycle, they are not the primary focus of regression testing. Similarly, although verifying compliance with requirements is a key aspect of software testing, it is more closely related to validation and functional testing rather than regression testing specifically. Therefore, the essence of regression testing centers around maintaining stability in the application as it evolves.