What does software quality mean to you?

To me, software quality means how well a software product meets the needs and expectations of its users, both in terms of functionality and experience, while being reliable, maintainable, and secure.

Here's how I break it down:

1. Correctness & Functionality – It does what it's supposed to do, accurately and consistently.
2. Reliability – It works under expected conditions without crashing or producing errors.
3. Performance – It runs efficiently, with good speed and responsiveness.
4. Usability – It’s intuitive and user-friendly, so users can get value from it without a steep learning curve.
5. Maintainability – The code is clean, well-documented, and modular, making it easy to fix bugs or add features later.
6. Security – It protects user data and resists malicious attacks.
7. Testability – It's easy to write and run tests on the codebase, which helps ensure quality long-term.
8. Scalability – It can handle growth in users, data, or complexity without major redesigns.

Ultimately, quality isn’t just about the code - it’s about delivering value to users and making sure the software continues to do so over time.

I'll stick my toe in the water first. 😉To me it means the software performs all agreed upon written requirements AND performs the function for which it was designed well.  The software must also be 'testable', 'maintainable' and 'fail gracefully'. 

• Software should be written with testing in mind by and structured to support testing not only in automation but in exploratory, performance and security testing by providing a logical structure of named objects, documented access to those objects and logging options.  The requirements should also be documented in a way that represents the application operation and key points to verify. 
• Maintainable software is well documented (in code and for the user), supported by a version control system and designed with failure and performance analysis in mind.
• Failing gracefully will come with the previous aspect to a degree.  Errors will be caught, logged and displayed to the user in a fashion that enables the user and support staff to understand failures and supply information back to development.

To me quality software isn't just software that is easy to automate in testing.  Testing will play a key role in every point here.  Some testing can be automated and easily if the software is designed with this in mind.  Other points here require communication, exploration, analysis and curiosity to make truly great software.  

... If you agree drop me a like👍and/or provide your own views on quality!  I am not sure if there can be a 'Best Answer' on this.  We will see!  😎

Great question, and one that sparks a lot of opinions. Some folks focus on the fine details, others look at the big picture. For me, quality is all about expectations, and mine are high. I see quality not just as a feature, but a purpose.

I once came across this definition that really stuck with me: “Quality is performance upon expectations” and “fit for function.” In other words, a product shows quality when it meets or exceeds the user's needs in performance, appearance, reliability, and overall experience.

One personal example: Around 20 years ago, I downloaded a tool called Lookout for Outlook. It was a simple search plugin that just worked. Installation was seamless, indexing kicked off without a hitch, and the whole thing was intuitive. Later, I accidentally moved its index folder, and to my surprise, the tool not only detected the change but offered to fix it automatically. One click, and everything was back to normal. No frustration, just pure appreciation. That moment stuck with me.

(And, fun fact: Microsoft ended up acquiring it, a real testament to its quality.)

For me, it's pretty simple.

The software must work perfectly and its behavior must conform to specifications.

The goal is to provide the best possible user experience. So, no bugs, no waiting, a smooth workflow, etc...