What is the primary goal of a regression test suite?

• A. Detect whether changes introduced new defects.
• B. Improve code readability.
• C. Increase test execution time.
• D. Eliminate the need for unit tests.

Answer: (A)

Regression testing is about confirming that recent changes haven't broken existing functionality. The primary goal of a regression test suite is to detect defects that may have been introduced by changes, fixes, or refactoring, and to verify that existing features continue to behave correctly. This focuses on catching unintended side effects and ensuring previously working behavior remains stable after updates. It’s different from improving code readability, which is a code quality goal, and from increasing test execution time or eliminating unit tests, which aren’t the aims of regression testing. Regression tests are usually automated and run after changes to provide fast feedback, complementing unit tests by validating how components work together in real use.