When it comes to software testing, two key terms are often used interchangeably: smoke testing and sanity testing. However, these two types of testing are actually quite different.
Testing is an important part of software development. There are different types of testing, and it can be confusing to know which one to use and when. In this post, we will explore the difference between smoke testing and sanity testing, and when it is appropriate to use each one. So you can make the best decision for your project.
What is smoke testing and what is sanity testing?
Smoke testing is a type of testing that is used to determine if a software program is stable enough to be used. It is typically used early in the software development process after the software has been built and released to customers.
On the other hand, Sanity testing is a type of testing that is used to determine if a software program is ready for use. It is typically used after the software has been released to customers and before it is put into production.
The difference between smoke testing and sanity testing
Smoke testing and sanity testing are both important methods for testing software applications. Smoke testing is typically conducted when there is a new build of an application, and it is designed to test the most essential functions of the software.
Sanity testing is usually conducted after smoke testing and focuses on a specific area of the software that has been changed or updated. For example, if a new feature has been added to an application, sanity testing would be used to test that the new feature works as expected.
Both smoke testing and sanity testing can help to identify bugs and errors in an application. However, smoke testing is typically more comprehensive, while sanity testing is more focused.
As a result, both approaches are often used in conjunction with each other to ensure the quality of an application.
When to use smoke testing vs sanity testing?
Smoke testing and sanity testing are two essential methods for quality assurance in software development. While both involve testing software to ensure it meets specifications, they differ in terms of scope and purpose, as we have seen in the previous section.
Smoke testing, also known as build verification testing, is typically used early in the development process to ensure that the software builds correctly and that the most essential functions work as expected. On the other hand, sanity testing, also known as regression testing, is usually done after more significant changes have been made to the codebase in order to verify that new features haven't introduced any bugs or regressions.
In summary, smoke testing is useful for verifying the basic functionality of newly developed software, while sanity testing is primarily concerned with maintaining stability after major changes have been made.
How to perform smoke testing vs sanity testing?
Both smoke testing and sanity testing involve running a series of tests on a software application to identify errors.
To perform smoke testing, testers typically execute a small subset of test cases that exercise the most important functionalities of the application. If the smoke test passes, then the application is deemed stable enough to proceed with further testing; if it fails, then further testing is halted and the application is deemed unstable.
Smoke testing can be performed manually or using automated tests. When using automated tests, testers will typically use a tool such as UIlicious to execute the test cases.
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To perform sanity testing, testers typically execute a subset of test cases that exercise the areas of the code that have been changed or updated. If the sanity test passes, then the changes are deemed to be successful; if it fails, then the changes are reverted and further testing is halted.
Like smoke testing, sanity testing can also be performed manually or using automated tests. However, automated testing is generally considered to be more efficient for this purpose.
When conducting sanity testing, testers will typically use a tool such as UIlicious to execute the test cases. UIlicious provides a wide range of features and functionalities that make it well-suited for testing web applications that should be used in conjunction with each other to ensure the quality of software applications.
Pros and cons of using smoke testing vs sanity testing
There are both pros and cons to using smoke testing and sanity testing.
Some of the advantages of smoke testing include:
It can help to identify major bugs early in the development process.
It is typically less time-consuming than other types of testing.
It can be conducted using automated tests, which makes it more efficient.
Some of the disadvantages of smoke testing include:
It may not identify all types of errors.
It can give false positives if the software is not well designed.
Some of the advantages of sanity testing include:
It can help to identify regressions after changes have been made to the code.
It is typically less time-consuming than other types of testing.
It can be conducted using automated tests, which makes it more efficient.
Some of the disadvantages of sanity testing include:
It may not identify all types of errors.
It can give false positives if the software is not well designed.
It can be disruptive to the development process if changes need to be made to the code.
Overall, both smoke testing and sanity testing have their pros and cons. However, they are both useful methods for quality assurance in software development.
Which one should you use?
There is no clear answer as to which one you should use. It really depends on the specific project and what you are trying to achieve.
If you are looking for a quick way to identify major bugs, then smoke testing may be a good option. However, if you are looking to ensure the stability of the software after changes have been made, then sanity testing may be a better choice.
It is also worth noting that both smoke testing and sanity testing can be used in conjunction with each other to provide a more comprehensive test coverage.
To recap, smoke testing is a high-level test that focuses on key functionality while sanity testing is a more low-level test to check for bugs. Both are important in the software development process and can save you time and money down the road. If you’re looking for an easy way to automate UI tests, look no further than UIlicious. With our user-friendly platform, you can automate tests with just a few clicks. Register for free now to get started!
