Smoke Testing Vs Sanity Testing: Understanding the Differences
Software testing plays a crucial role in the development lifecycle of any software application. It helps ensure that the application meets the desired quality standards, functions as expected, and is free from bugs or issues. Among the various testing techniques, smoke testing and sanity testing are two commonly used approaches. While they both serve the purpose of testing software, they differ in their objectives, scope, and execution. In this article, we will delve into the nuances of smoke testing and sanity testing, exploring their differences and when to use each approach.
Smoke Testing
Smoke testing, also known as build verification testing or confidence testing, is a preliminary test executed to determine if the software build is stable enough for further testing. The primary objective of smoke testing is to identify critical issues or showstopper defects that prevent the application from functioning at a basic level. It focuses on verifying the major functionalities or key features of the software.
The term “smoke testing” originates from the hardware industry, where technicians would power on a device and check for any smoke emanating, indicating a major failure. In the software context, smoke testing follows a similar principle of detecting significant issues early in the development cycle.
During smoke testing, a limited set of test cases, typically high-priority or critical test scenarios, are executed to check if the basic functionalities are working as intended. It is a high-level and non-exhaustive test that provides a quick indication of the software’s stability. If the software build passes the smoke test, it can proceed to further levels of testing, such as regression testing or comprehensive functional testing.
Sanity Testing
Sanity testing, also known as subset testing or narrow testing, is performed after the software build has successfully passed the smoke testing phase. The purpose of sanity testing is to conduct a focused and selective test on the modified or newly added functionalities, ensuring that the recent changes haven’t adversely impacted the existing system behavior.
Unlike smoke testing, sanity testing is more specific and targeted. It aims to verify the changes made in a particular build without retesting the entire application. It helps ensure that the core functionalities are intact after modifications and that the system remains stable.
During sanity testing, a set of test cases relevant to the recent changes are executed. It focuses on the specific areas that were modified, saving time and effort by avoiding retesting of unchanged features. If the sanity test passes, it indicates that the changes have not introduced any major issues, and the software build is suitable for further testing or release.
Understanding the Difference between Smoke Testing and Sanity Testing
Understanding the differences between smoke testing and sanity testing is essential for test engineers, quality assurance professionals, and software developers. By employing the right testing techniques, the testing process can be top-notch and identify any bug in the process. Hence, ensuring a quality application release. Some of the prominent differences between smoke testing and sanity testing are listed below.
Smoke Testing Vs Sanity Testing
Conclusion
In software testing, smoke testing and sanity testing are two distinct approaches, each serving a specific purpose. Smoke testing helps identify critical issues early in the development cycle, determining if the software build is stable enough for further testing. On the other hand, sanity testing focuses on the specific areas affected by recent changes, ensuring that modifications have not introduced any major issues.
