Acceptance testing

Alpha testing is simulated or actual operational testing by potential users/customers or an independent test team at the developers’  site.

Alpha testing is often employed for off the shelf software as a form of internal acceptance testing before the software goes to ‘Beta testing’

Beta testing comes after alpha testing  and can be considered a form of external  user acceptance testing.

Versions  of the software  know as beta versions are released to al limited  audience outside of the programming team. The software is released to groups of people so that further testing can ensure the product has few faults or bugs.

Sometimes beta versions are made available to the open public to increase the feedback field to a maximal number of future users.

In engineering and its various subdisciplines, acceptance testing is a test conducted to determine if the requirements of a specification or contract are met.

Software developers often distinguish acceptance testing by the system provider from acceptance testing by the customer( user or client) prior  to accepting transfer of ownership.

It is also known as functional testing.