A UAT (User Acceptance Testing) environment is a testing environment where end-users or stakeholders test the application to ensure it meets their expectations and requirements. It is almost identical to the production environment, so any issues can be identified before the application is deployed to production. UAT environments are used to validate that the software meets the needs of the users, and it allows users to give the development team valuable feedback about real use cases and how the features will be used. UAT testing is typically completed after unit testing, quality assurance, system testing, and other types of testing.

The UAT environment is different from other testing environments, such as the testing environment used by the QA team to perform various tests, such as functional, performance, and security testing. The UAT environment is used by end-users or stakeholders to test new features before they are pushed into the production environment.

To build a UAT environment, it should be as close to the production environment as possible. It is important to set up the environment, implement access controls, and use the right version. The UAT environment should contain an editable copy of production data, and it should be treated with reverence by the developers.

In summary, a UAT environment is a crucial part of the software development process, as it allows end-users or stakeholders to test the application and provide valuable feedback before it is deployed to production. It is almost identical to the production environment, and it should be treated with reverence by the developers.