What is the difference between Ad Hoc testing and exploratory testing?

Ad Hoc testing is informal, unplanned, and unstructured testing without the use of documentation. The goal is to quickly find defects in unexpected places. It relies on the tester's intuition and experience.

Differences from exploratory testing:

Attribute	Ad Hoc testing	Exploratory testing
Goal	Quick defect detection without a system	Understanding the product, identifying hidden issues and risks
Structure	Absent	Flexible, but focused on exploration and hypotheses
Documentation	None (or minimal defect recording)	Note-taking, test charters, documenting findings
Focus	Intuition, random exploration	Systematic study of functionality, risks, user scenarios
Result	List of found defects	Understanding of the product, identified defects, ideas for improvement

Exploratory testing is a formalized approach where testing is viewed as a learning process about the product. The tester explores functionality, formulates hypotheses about its operation and potential issues, and documents observations and results. Test charters, mind maps are used.

Overall, exploratory testing is more structured and goal-oriented than Ad Hoc testing, and it aims not only to find defects but also to gain a deep understanding of the tested product.