Test data management
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Test data management (TDM) is a process in software testing concerned with the creation, preparation, and control of data used for testing software systems. It involves supplying datasets required to execute test cases and verifying system behaviour under defined conditions.[1][2][3] Test data management is an integral part of the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and is utilized in both manual and automated testing processes. It is applied in environments that use continuous integration and DevOps practices, where test execution requires consistent and repeatable data conditions.
Test data management includes the generation, selection, and preparation of data for testing purposes, as well as its distribution across test environments. It also involves controlling data versions and ensuring that datasets correspond to specific test scenarios. In many cases, production data is adapted for testing through techniques such as masking or subsetting to reduce size and remove sensitive content. Test data management ensures that test cases are executed with relevant, consistent, and readily available data. This reduces variability in test results and supports reproducibility across test cycles.[citation needed]