What is the purpose of exit criteria?

The purpose of exit criteria is to establish the specific conditions that must be met before testing can be deemed complete. This typically includes thresholds related to the completion of test cases, the severity level of unresolved defects, and the degree of test coverage achieved. Having clear exit criteria helps ensure that testing is thorough and meets quality standards before software is released. It supports decision-making on whether the software is ready to advance to the next phase, such as deployment or production. Setting exit criteria also helps in managing stakeholder expectations and ensures that all critical aspects of functionality have been verified and validated.