What is Smoke Testing and Sanity Testing?

Smoke testing and sanity testing are two types of software testing that serve different purposes in the software development life cycle. Let’s understand ‘what is smoke testing and sanity testing’.

Smoke Testing:

Definition: Smoke testing, also known as "Build Verification Testing" or "BVT," is a preliminary testing phase conducted on a software build to ensure that the most critical functionalities work correctly. It is a high-level test that verifies whether the major components of the software application are working fine after a new build or release.

Purpose:

• To quickly assess the stability of the software build.
• To identify major issues early in the testing process before more in-depth testing is performed.

Characteristics:

• It is a shallow and wide-ranging test.
• It covers the essential features of the application.
• The goal is not to find detailed or fine-grained bugs but to catch major issues.

Sanity Testing:

Definition: Sanity testing, also known as "Sanity check" or "Quick Test," is a focused and narrow verification process performed on a specific module, component, or functionality of the software to ensure that it is working as intended after changes or bug fixes. It is often done after a build or a set of changes to verify that the specific functionality is stable and ready for more detailed testing.

Purpose:

• To verify that specific functionalities are working correctly after modifications.
• To ensure that the changes have not adversely affected the existing functionalities.

Characteristics:

• It is a targeted and selective test.
• It concentrates on specific areas that have undergone changes.
• The primary goal is to ensure the stability of recent modifications.

While smoke testing focuses on the overall stability of a software build by checking major functionalities, sanity testing is more specific, verifying that particular components or changes work as expected. Both testing types are essential for ensuring the reliability and functionality of a software application, especially during the early stages of testing.