Quality Assurance (QA) in software testing is the process of ensuring that a product functions as intended and meets all quality requirements from both technology and business perspectives. QA is a set of processes and practices that aim to ensure high product quality. It is a common practice to ensure that the end product of any Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) conforms to the overall and scope-agreed expectations. QA testing ensures that things work before they are released to the public and is most commonly associated with software development.

Some key points about QA in software development include:

• QA is not the same as testing. Testing is an activity performed as a part of quality control, which is a part of quality assurance.
• QA includes proactive and reactive activities.
• QA specialists are responsible for ensuring the quality of the end product, which requires much more than manual testing.
• QA is present in every single phase of the software development lifecycle, not just at the end.

Overall, QA is an essential part of software development that ensures that the end product meets all quality requirements and functions as intended.