How do you decide when to perform smoke testing or sanity check?

1 What is smoke testing?

Smoke testing is a type of testing that checks the basic functionality of the software product before performing more detailed and comprehensive testing. The main purpose of smoke testing is to ensure that the software is stable enough to proceed with further testing and development. Smoke testing can be done manually or automatically, and it usually covers the core features and scenarios of the product. Smoke testing is also known as build verification testing or initial testing.

2 What is sanity check?

Sanity check is a type of testing that verifies the rationality and consistency of the software product after making some minor changes or fixes. The main purpose of sanity check is to ensure that the changes did not introduce any new defects or break any existing functionality. Sanity check can be done manually or automatically, and it usually focuses on the specific areas or components that were affected by the changes. Sanity check is also known as regression testing or quick testing.

3 Benefits and drawbacks of smoke testing

Smoke testing has several benefits for software quality assurance. First, it can help you detect major issues and bugs early in the development cycle, saving you time and resources. Second, it can help you avoid wasting effort on testing a product that is not ready or stable enough. Third, it can provide you with a quick feedback on the quality and functionality of the product. However, smoke testing also has some drawbacks. First, it can be costly and time-consuming to maintain and update the smoke test cases and scripts. Second, it can miss some minor or hidden defects that may affect the user experience or performance of the product. Third, it can create a false sense of confidence or security that the product is flawless.

4 Benefits and drawbacks of sanity check

Sanity check also has several benefits for software quality assurance. First, it can help you ensure that the changes or fixes did not introduce any new defects or break any existing functionality. Second, it can help you verify that the product meets the requirements and expectations of the stakeholders and customers. Third, it can help you deliver a reliable and consistent product to the market. However, sanity check also has some drawbacks. First, it can be difficult and subjective to define the scope and criteria of sanity check. Second, it can be redundant or unnecessary if the changes or fixes are minor or trivial. Third, it can overlook some major or critical defects that may affect the whole product or system.

5 How to choose the best testing strategy

There is no definitive answer or rule on when to use smoke testing or sanity check, as it depends on various factors such as the size, complexity, and nature of the product, the type and frequency of the changes or fixes, the resources and time available, and the expectations and standards of the quality assurance team and the customers. However, here are some general tips on how to choose the best testing strategy for your project. First, use smoke testing when you have a new or major release of the product, when you want to check the basic functionality and stability of the product, and when you have limited time or resources for testing. Second, use sanity check when you have a minor or incremental release of the product, when you want to check the rationality and consistency of the product, and when you have sufficient time or resources for testing. Third, combine smoke testing and sanity check when you have a complex or hybrid release of the product, when you want to check both the basic and specific functionality of the product, and when you have a balanced time or resources for testing.