Test Plan
A test plan is the document that defines the scope, approach, resources, and schedule for a testing effort — what will be tested, how, by whom, with what environment and data, and what the entry and exit criteria are. It's the single reference that aligns the team on what "done testing" actually means before work starts.
A test plan typically covers: scope (what's in and out of testing), the test strategy or techniques being used, environment and data requirements, roles and responsibilities, a schedule, risks, and entry/exit criteria. It's written before test execution begins, ideally reviewed by stakeholders who can flag scope gaps early rather than after testing is already underway.
Test plans range from a lightweight one-pager for a small feature to a formal, heavily reviewed document for a regulated or high-risk release. Agile teams often keep test plans intentionally lighter and closer to living documents than the traditional up-front, exhaustively detailed version — the goal is alignment, not paperwork for its own sake.
