Smoke Testing Vs Sanity Testing

A product has to go through several stages before it is released to the public, and testing is one of them. Testing can be of different types and helps the application meet end-user requirements and quality standards. It is one process that helps deliver a great user experience while cutting the development cost. Robust testing has helped many organizations keep up with the rising quality demands.

The software engineers must understand what each testing method can do for the project so they can select the proper testing methodologies. Every QA is involved with two testing types at one time or another in SDLC to ensure a good software build. The article briefly describes the two testing methodologies and the differences between Smoke and Sanitation Testing.

It is also known as Build Verification, Confidence Testing, or Build Acceptance Testing and is done in the early stages of software development. It tests the application’s critical functions and helps identify issues. It also examines whether the software build is safe for conducting other tests. 

These tests are performed by QA lead/ QA engineers, highlighting significant severity issues in the software build.

Smoke testing is done after the development team receives the build software. When a new build is installed, the Day-0 testing (Smoke testing)  is done to see how fit the build is. A new build is delivered every time a new capability feature is added to the application.

The testing can be applied on the acceptance level to see if it satisfies the minimum acceptance criteria. It can also be used at the system level to ensure the integrated systems work well and at integration testing levels to examine how the modules and components interact. The different scenarios where Smoke testing is utilized are listed below. 

If the test is failed, the build is sent back to the developers while the QA continues to run the old stable build. Once the errors are rectified, it is again sent for Smoke testing, and the process goes on till the code no longer requires any changes. 

1. The developers want to validate login credentials: The developers will first examine the web application's functionality and see if users can log in with their user credentials. For this Smoke  Test, they will follow steps like launching the application, navigating through the login page, entering user credentials, and clicking the login button. 

2. Adding an item to the cart: Smoke Test can check this functionality. The developers can look for different item categories available, the item availability, and if it can be added to the cart.  

3. Validate checkout functionality after the items are added to the cart: The testing professionals can examine if the authorized users can checkout and move to the payment page after adding their required items. 

Smoke testing has many benefits, and a few are listed below. 

1. It ensures that the software/ application is fit for further testing (functional, integration, and more) by the QA teams.  

2. It is a time-saving process as the issues are identified in the early stages of SDLC.

3. It helps maintain and recover the software's quality by validating the stability of the software build. 

4. It reduces the integration issues significantly and makes the software/ application more robust.  

The test is used to examine the basic functionalities of the application and verify if the software is working as intended. It is done in the initial stages of software development before more comprehensive tests (regression tests) are performed. Unlike other testing types, it is focused on specific functionalities and does not test the entire software. 

It is often known as the subset of regression testing and is done to ensure that the application is working correctly after the introduced changes. It is usually performed when the software/ application demands an immediate prod deployment.

When the Smoke testing fails, it indicates that the software build is unstable (software is unstable). When the Sanity testing fails, a specific functionality or feature of the software cannot work as intended. Some situations where you can do Sanity testing are listed below. 

1. Whenever any identified bug gets fixed, Sanity testing can be done to ensure that the fix is successful.

2. When minor updates are made to the code.

3. Before the testing team decides to execute comprehensive tests like regression testing. 

4. When new features are added, the testing can ensure that it does not interfere with the application's existing functionality.

5. In a continuous integration and deployment environment, the testing assesses the stability of the new build.  

There are many advantages of Sanity testing, and a few are given below. 

1. Sanity testing instills the developer’s confidence as software quality improves after fixing the bugs.

2. It also improves the development team's overall productivity by letting them focus on more complex operations. The Sanity testing reduces the time required for the whole regression testing procedure. 

3. Unlike other testing types, it is a quick and superficial check and does not require any documentation. It helps in generating faster feedback. 

4. It offers cost-effective solutions to the developers that help reduce the project's cost. 

5. The testing is more focused and addresses specific changes and bug fixations. This ensures that the changes do not affect the application in its entirety.

1. Test a newly added forgot password feature on a login page: The developers must examine how the password works for an authorized user. Apart from testing this new feature, they need to test login functionality to ensure it is not affected by the latest addition. 

2. Examine the changes made in the checkout functionality of an e-commerce application: the developers initiated the change to make the checkout smooth for the end users. They would run Sanity checks to ensure the functionality works well with the induced changes. They will also check that the changes maintain the application's overall functionality.

Smoke and Sanity testing are done at the initial stages of software development, which is one of the reasons why they seem similar. The testing methodologies differ from each other, and the points given in the table explain how.

Sanity and Smoke testing are different testing methodologies that are used to improve the quality of software/applications. Sanity testing ensures that a specific functionality works well, and Smoke testing checks the basic functionality of the build. Sanity is ideal for particular changes like specific bug fixes or certain modifications, and Smoke testing is applied at the beginning of the testing process.

Including both testing approaches in SDLC is essential to ensure a robust and efficient development.