What is the purpose of regression testing in software development?

Regression testing is primarily focused on ensuring that recent changes in the software, such as enhancements or bug fixes, do not adversely affect existing functionality. The purpose is to identify any new bugs that might have been introduced unintentionally as a result of these changes. This is crucial in maintaining the integrity of the software as it evolves.

When developers implement new features or make modifications, there is always a risk that these actions could disrupt previously working elements of the application. Therefore, regression testing systematically re-examines the application's functions to verify that they still perform as expected. This helps developers catch new or re-emerging issues early in the testing process, ensuring the overall quality of the software remains high.

In contrast, other choices might touch upon important aspects of software quality assurance but do not directly define the primary purpose of regression testing. Ensuring new functionality works as intended is part of validation testing, which differs from regression testing's focus. Evaluating performance under high loads pertains to load testing or stress testing, which assesses how an application behaves under extreme conditions. Testing an application's security measures relates to security testing, which aims to find vulnerabilities, rather than ensuring the existing functionality remains intact after updates.