An interactive testbench is a simulator setup where input to the device under test (DUT) is provided by an operator while the testbench is running. Most often, this would mean you entering commands in the simulator console to provide the DUT with stimulus.
While you should always create a self-checking testbench, an interactive testbench can be a nice supplement. It’s easier to perform ad-hoc testing with an interactive testbench at hand, than it is to change the code of the self-checking testbench.
