What are entry and exit criteria in testing?
ProcessJunior
In shortEntry criteria are the conditions that must be true before testing starts (for example, a stable build is deployed); exit criteria define when testing is done enough to stop or release (for example, no open critical bugs).
Model answer
Entry criteria: can we start testing?
Examples:
- The build is deployed to the test environment and the smoke test passes.
- The user story has acceptance criteria and designs.
- Test data and accounts are ready.
- Release notes list what changed.
Without them, testers waste time on broken builds or guess what to test.
Exit criteria: can we stop testing and release?
Examples:
- All planned high-priority test cases were run, with 95%+ passing.
- No open critical or high-severity bugs; remaining bugs are reviewed and accepted by the product owner.
- Regression suite run on the agreed devices and browsers.
- Test summary shared.
Why they matter: they turn “is it ready?” from a feeling into a checklist everyone agreed on earlier. They also protect the team from pressure: if a critical bug is open, the criteria say we’re not done.
Exit criteria never mean “zero bugs”; that’s impossible. They mean the remaining risk is known and accepted.
In agile teams, entry criteria often look like a Definition of Ready, and exit criteria like the Definition of Done for a story or a release checklist.
Learn more: SDLC and STLC
What they're looking for
Clear definitions, realistic examples of each, and an understanding that they make "ready to test" and "done" objective rather than a feeling.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up entry and exit criteria.
- Saying testing is done when "all bugs are fixed".
- Giving vague criteria that can't be checked.