What type of testing determines whether a system satisfies the acceptance criteria?

Acceptance testing is focused specifically on determining whether a system meets the predefined acceptance criteria, which are established based on the requirements of stakeholders and intended users. The goal of acceptance testing is to validate that the software functions correctly in a real-world context and fulfills the needs it was designed to address.

This form of testing is typically performed at the end of the development process or as part of the agile iteration cycle, often involving end-users or stakeholders to ensure that the product aligns with their expectations before it is released or deployed. By assessing whether the software meets the acceptance criteria, acceptance testing serves as a critical checkpoint that indicates readiness for production, verifying that the system is functioning as intended in terms of usability, functionality, and overall performance.

Understanding this focus on validation makes it clear why acceptance testing is the correct answer, emphasizing its distinctive role compared to other types of testing such as exploratory, unit, or integration testing, which serve different purposes in the software development lifecycle.