What is the overall goal of software testing?

The overall goal of software testing is to ensure that the software meets the specified requirements and works as intended for the end-users. This encompasses verifying functionality, performance, usability, and security, among other aspects, to confirm that the product delivers the expected value to its stakeholders.

By focusing on whether the software meets its requirements, testing establishes a baseline of quality and confidence that the software will perform effectively in real-world conditions. It helps identify and address issues during the software development lifecycle, thus reducing the risk of failures in production environments.

While identifying defects is a part of the process, it is not the sole objective. Defects may always exist to some degree, and the goal is more about ensuring that the software functions according to design and that important requirements are fulfilled. Similarly, performance benchmarks and customer satisfaction metrics are useful, but they are secondary goals that arise from the primary aim of validating requirements and ensuring proper functionality.