BUGSPOTTER

Difference Between Smoke and Sanity Testing

difference between smoke and sanity testing

Introduction

In software testing, there are various testing methodologies and practices that are used to ensure that an application is working as expected. Two common types of testing that often get confused are Smoke Testing and Sanity Testing. While both are related to validating the basic functionality of a system, they differ significantly in their scope and purpose.

What is Smoke Testing?

Smoke Testing, often referred to as “Build Verification Testing,” is the preliminary test performed on a software build to check whether the most critical functions of the application are working. The goal of smoke testing is to verify that the build is stable enough for further, more in-depth testing.

 

Key Characteristics of Smoke Testing:

  1. Initial Testing: It’s the first round of testing conducted after a new build is deployed.
  2. High-Level Overview: It focuses on basic functionalities and checks if the system can perform key tasks such as login, data entry, or navigation.
  3. Quick and Shallow: Smoke testing is generally quick and doesn’t dive into details, but merely confirms that the application doesn’t crash and the core features work as expected.
  4. Objective: The primary objective is to determine if the software is “stable” enough to proceed with further, more detailed testing (like functional or regression testing).
 

When is Smoke Testing Performed?

  • After a new software build is deployed.
  • When new code is integrated into the existing application.
  • When a significant change or fix is made to the system.
 

What is Sanity Testing?

Sanity Testing is a more focused form of testing that is conducted after receiving a new build or after a bug fix. It aims to validate that specific functionality or bug fixes are working as expected without running through the full test suite. It’s a check to ensure that a specific part of the application is functioning properly and that the changes have not introduced new issues.

 

Key Characteristics of Sanity Testing:

  1. Focused Testing: Sanity testing focuses only on the particular feature or bug fix.
  2. In-depth Validation: It involves deeper testing of specific functionalities to ensure that changes made in the application have not broken anything else.
  3. Narrower Scope: Unlike smoke testing, sanity testing is targeted and focuses only on specific areas of the application rather than its overall stability.
  4. Objective: The primary objective is to verify the accuracy of fixes or updates in the system.
 

When is Sanity Testing Performed?

  • After receiving a patch or bug fix.
  • When minor changes are made to the application.
  • When there’s a need to verify specific features or areas of the application without testing the entire system.
 

Difference Between Smoke and Sanity Testing

Aspect Smoke Testing Sanity Testing
Purpose
To ensure the build is stable enough for further testing
To verify that specific functionality or bug fixes work as expected
Timing
Performed at the start of testing after a new build
Performed after changes or bug fixes are made
Scope
Broad (overall application)
Narrow (specific feature or functionality)
Depth
Shallow (high-level tests)
Deeper (detailed tests for specific areas)
Objective
To check if the application is functional enough for further testing
To validate fixes or changes in specific areas of the app
Frequency
Every new build or major update
When there is a bug fix or minor update
Test Level
A high-level “smoke test” that doesn’t go deep into features or functions
A more focused check that dives into specific functionality
Complexity
Simple, quick, and often automated for basic functionality
Can be complex, depending on the scope of the fix or feature
Test Coverage
Includes critical features like login, basic workflows, or navigation to see if they work
Focuses only on the area where changes were made or a bug was fixed
Test Cases
Typically involves a small set of tests that verify the major functions
Involves a few test cases that check the correctness of a particular fix or feature

 

When to Use Smoke and Sanity Testing?

  • Smoke Testing: If a new build is delivered, you first need to ensure that it’s stable enough for more complex testing. This will be the time to perform smoke testing.

  • Sanity Testing: After a patch is applied or a bug is fixed, sanity testing will help confirm that the specific issues have been addressed and that the overall functionality of the application is intact.

Additional Differences :

1.Purpose and Focus:

  • Smoke Testing is designed to verify that the overall build is stable enough to continue with more exhaustive testing. It’s about ensuring that the build doesn’t have any fundamental issues that would make further testing useless or unproductive.
  • Sanity Testing, on the other hand, is very specific. It focuses on verifying whether a particular functionality or a bug fix is working correctly, without re-testing the entire system.

2.Testing Complexity:

  • Smoke Testing is relatively simple and quick. It’s a “quick check” of the most basic functions of the system, such as starting the application, logging in, and verifying that core features like navigation or buttons work as expected.
  • Sanity Testing can be more complex depending on what needs to be tested. For example, if a bug fix involved deep changes to the core of the application, sanity testing could require detailed analysis of specific components or features.

3.Outcome of Failure:

  • If Smoke Testing fails, it typically results in a halt to further testing. The build will likely be sent back for fixes because it’s not considered stable enough for further examination.
  • If Sanity Testing fails, the development team will focus only on the feature that failed. The rest of the system may be unaffected, and further testing on other areas will continue as planned.

4.Automation Possibility:

  • Smoke Testing is more suitable for automation. Since it involves basic checks and quick validations, automated tests can run through smoke tests quickly, giving testers confidence in the build.
  • Sanity Testing is typically more manual since it involves validating specific areas and bug fixes, and automated tests may not always be able to cover all the nuances of changes.

5.Frequency in the Development Cycle:

  • Smoke Testing happens at the very start of the testing phase—immediately after a new build is delivered. It’s the first check to determine if the build is ready for further scrutiny.
  • Sanity Testing usually occurs later in the cycle, typically after a bug fix or patch has been deployed. It’s done before moving on to more thorough or regression testing.

6.Test Case Selection:

  • Smoke Testing typically uses a small set of test cases that cover the main functionality of the application. It doesn’t involve exhaustive checks of the features but just verifies that critical paths are functional.
  • Sanity Testing involves selecting test cases related to a specific feature or function that was modified or fixed. It ensures that the recent changes have been correctly implemented and haven’t affected other parts of the application.

7.Testing Environment:

  • Smoke Testing is done in the early stages, typically in a development or staging environment, to validate that the build is stable enough for the next steps in the testing cycle.
  • Sanity Testing is done after a fix or a minor update, often on a build that has passed smoke testing, ensuring that the targeted changes work correctly before additional testing like regression is conducted.

Latest Posts

  • All Posts
  • Software Testing
  • Uncategorized
Load More

End of Content.

Software Testing

Bugspotter's Industry Oriented best software testing course

Categories

Enroll Now and get 5% Off On Course Fees