Happy path testing

Happy path testing verifies your software works correctly when everything goes right. Instead of trying to break the system, you're confirming that users can accomplish their basic tasks when they do exactly what they're supposed to do. 

Let's look at testing a user registration flow. The happy path would verify that a new user can successfully:

No typos, no validation errors, no browser crashes—just the perfect user doing exactly what you expect them to do. 

Before you hunt for edge cases and weird bugs, you need to know your core features actually work. Happy path testing builds confidence that your software can handle its most basic jobs. Think of it as your baseline—if the happy path fails, nothing else matters until you fix it. 

The biggest risk is getting lulled into a false sense of security. 

Real users don't follow perfect paths—they make typos, hit the back button, lose internet connection, and do all sorts of unexpected things. While happy path testing is essential, it's just your starting point. You need negative testing and edge cases to truly verify your software's reliability.