Methods of controlling software testing

A computer implemented method for controlling software testing, wherein software test data for a program is stored in a passport file on a memory associated with a lower environment and a higher environment, wherein the lower environment is a test environment, the memory further comprising a higher environment manifest file, the method comprising:

• obtaining a promotion request for progressing a version of a program from the lower environment to the higher environment;
• receiving a response to the promotion request to validate the promotion request, and validating the promotion request;
• storing, in the higher environment manifest file, a version indicator based on the promotion request, the higher environment manifest file further comprising data pertaining to deploying the version of the program;
• writing promotion data to the passport file based upon the validated promotion request;
• and
• deploying, to the higher environment, the version of the program based on the validated promotion request, the data pertaining to deploying the program and the version indicator.