What is a visual baseline in visual testing?

A visual baseline in visual testing serves as a reference image that captures the intended design and appearance of an application at a certain point in time. This baseline is crucial for visual regression testing because it enables testers to compare the current visual state of the application against this established standard. By doing so, any discrepancies or unintended changes in the application's appearance can be identified, allowing for effective quality control during development and updates.

The importance of a visual baseline lies in its role in maintaining consistency across different versions of the application. When a new build is deployed, testers can execute visual tests that render the application and compare the displayed components to the visual baseline. If any visual changes occur that deviate from what is captured in the baseline, they can be flagged for review, ensuring that modifications do not disrupt the user experience or design intent.

In contrast, the other options focus on different aspects of user experience or performance metrics, which do not pertain to visual baselines in the same way. For instance, a summary report of user interactions relates more to user behavior than visual consistency, while an overview of user experience encompasses broader elements beyond visual aspects. Similarly, a performance benchmark is concerned with load times, not the visual fidelity of an application.