- **Smoke testing** is a preliminary test executed to check if the major functionalities of a software application are working correctly. It ensures that the critical components are functional before more in-depth testing.
2. **Scope:**
- It focuses on the most crucial and frequently used functionalities of the application, typically covering the main paths through the application.
3. **Depth:**
- It is a shallow and wide-ranging test that aims to identify show-stopping issues quickly. It doesn't go into detailed testing of every feature.
4. **Timing:**
- Smoke testing is usually performed after a new build is received, and its purpose is to decide whether the build is stable enough for further, more detailed testing.
5. **Outcome:**
- If the application passes the smoke test, it is considered stable, and more comprehensive testing phases can proceed. If it fails, the development team needs to address the critical issues before further testing.
**Sanity Testing:**
1. **Purpose:**
- **Sanity testing** is performed to ensure that specific functionalities or areas of the application are still working after changes or bug fixes. It is more focused than smoke testing and is often targeted at a particular functionality.
2. **Scope:**
- It targets specific functionalities or areas that were affected by recent changes, ensuring that these changes didn't introduce new issues.
3. **Depth:**
- It is more in-depth than smoke testing, as it involves checking the detailed functionality of a specific area or feature to ensure its correctness.
4. **Timing:**
- Sanity testing is typically performed during the later stages of the development cycle, especially after bug fixes, patches, or minor changes have been made.
5. **Outcome:**
- If the specific functionality being tested passes the sanity test, it indicates that the recent changes did not adversely affect it. If issues are found, further investigation and fixes may be required.
In summary, smoke testing is a broad check to determine the overall stability of the application, while sanity testing is a more focused check on specific functionalities or areas after changes have been made. Both are essential for ensuring the reliability of software releases.
Answers & Comments
Answer:
**Smoke Testing:**
1. **Purpose:**
- **Smoke testing** is a preliminary test executed to check if the major functionalities of a software application are working correctly. It ensures that the critical components are functional before more in-depth testing.
2. **Scope:**
- It focuses on the most crucial and frequently used functionalities of the application, typically covering the main paths through the application.
3. **Depth:**
- It is a shallow and wide-ranging test that aims to identify show-stopping issues quickly. It doesn't go into detailed testing of every feature.
4. **Timing:**
- Smoke testing is usually performed after a new build is received, and its purpose is to decide whether the build is stable enough for further, more detailed testing.
5. **Outcome:**
- If the application passes the smoke test, it is considered stable, and more comprehensive testing phases can proceed. If it fails, the development team needs to address the critical issues before further testing.
**Sanity Testing:**
1. **Purpose:**
- **Sanity testing** is performed to ensure that specific functionalities or areas of the application are still working after changes or bug fixes. It is more focused than smoke testing and is often targeted at a particular functionality.
2. **Scope:**
- It targets specific functionalities or areas that were affected by recent changes, ensuring that these changes didn't introduce new issues.
3. **Depth:**
- It is more in-depth than smoke testing, as it involves checking the detailed functionality of a specific area or feature to ensure its correctness.
4. **Timing:**
- Sanity testing is typically performed during the later stages of the development cycle, especially after bug fixes, patches, or minor changes have been made.
5. **Outcome:**
- If the specific functionality being tested passes the sanity test, it indicates that the recent changes did not adversely affect it. If issues are found, further investigation and fixes may be required.
In summary, smoke testing is a broad check to determine the overall stability of the application, while sanity testing is a more focused check on specific functionalities or areas after changes have been made. Both are essential for ensuring the reliability of software releases.