what is smoke testing in software engineering

Guri Bee

2 min read

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19-10-2024

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Smoke Testing: Keeping Your Software From Going Up in Flames

In the world of software development, testing is crucial to ensure quality and prevent disastrous bugs from reaching users. Among the many testing methods, smoke testing plays a vital role by acting as a safety net, preventing potential fires before they erupt.

What is Smoke Testing?

Imagine releasing a new version of your software, only to find a critical bug preventing users from even logging in. That's a disaster waiting to happen, and smoke testing is designed to prevent such scenarios.

Think of smoke testing as a quick and dirty check of the software's core functionality. It's like the initial inspection of a newly built car – you wouldn't drive it off the lot without checking the engine, brakes, and steering, would you?

The Goal:

Smoke testing aims to answer a simple but critical question: "Is the software build stable enough for further testing?"

How it Works:

1. Focus on Critical Functionality: Smoke tests are built around the most vital features of your software. Think of them as the core functionalities that a user absolutely needs for the software to be considered usable.
2. Automated Tests: Smoke tests are often automated using scripts, making them quick and efficient.
3. Quick Feedback Loop: The results of smoke tests are available quickly, allowing developers to address any critical issues immediately and prevent wasting time on further testing.

Example:

Let's say you're building a web application for online shopping. A smoke test might include:

• Login Functionality: Can users successfully login to the website?
• Product Browsing: Can users browse and view product listings?
• Adding to Cart: Can users add products to their shopping cart?
• Checkout Process: Can users successfully complete a purchase?

Benefits of Smoke Testing:

• Early Detection of Major Issues: Smoke testing catches critical bugs early, preventing them from snowballing into bigger problems.
• Reduced Time and Costs: By identifying issues quickly, smoke testing saves time and resources that would otherwise be wasted on detailed testing of a broken build.
• Improved Software Stability: Frequent smoke testing ensures the software remains stable, providing a solid foundation for further testing and development.

Smoke Testing vs. Other Testing Types:

Smoke testing should not be confused with other types of testing. While it might seem similar to integration testing, smoke testing focuses on the overall stability of the software, while integration testing checks the interactions between individual components.

Who Performs Smoke Testing?

Smoke testing is typically performed by:

• Developers: They execute smoke tests before submitting their code for review.
• Quality Assurance (QA) Teams: QA teams run smoke tests before starting more thorough testing phases.
• Deployment Teams: Smoke tests are often part of the deployment process to ensure a new release doesn't break the system.

Where Does Smoke Testing Fit in the SDLC?

Smoke testing typically occurs at the end of each development sprint or build cycle. It acts as a quick checkpoint to validate the stability of the software before moving on to more extensive testing.

In Conclusion:

Smoke testing is an essential part of the software development lifecycle. By ensuring basic functionality, it protects your software from major issues and provides a stable base for further development and testing. So, the next time you're building or deploying software, remember to run a smoke test – it might just save your project from going up in flames!

References:

• Smoke testing on Wikipedia
• GitHub: Smoke Testing
• Stack Overflow: What is Smoke Testing?