Baseline testing is a method used to capture objective measurements of a system’s behavior and use them as a long-term reference. These measurements may include functional outcomes, response times, resource usage, or error rates, all recorded when the application is considered stable and acceptable.
As development continues, new test results are compared against this baseline to determine whether changes have improved, preserved, or degraded system quality. This comparison-based approach removes subjectivity from testing decisions and replaces assumptions with clear evidence.
Baseline testing is especially useful in performance-sensitive and highly regulated environments, where even small deviations can have significant impact. It also supports collaboration across teams by providing a shared understanding of what “normal” system behavior looks like.
When maintained thoughtfully and updated only after intentional improvements, baseline testing becomes a powerful mechanism for tracking quality trends, supporting safe releases, and ensuring that software evolves without sacrificing reliability or user experience.
