Smoke Testing VS Sanity Testing

Sanity testing and smoke testing are both preliminary tests performed during the software development life cycle, but they serve different purposes:

1. Smoke Testing:

   • Smoke testing is conducted to ensure that the critical functionalities of the software work correctly and that the build is stable enough for further testing.
   • It is usually performed early in the development cycle, often right after a new build is deployed, to check for major issues.
   • Smoke tests are broad and shallow, covering the most critical features of the application without going into detailed testing.
   • The primary goal of smoke testing is to determine whether the software is ready for further, more detailed testing. If the smoke test fails, it indicates that there are major issues that need to be addressed before more in-depth testing can be performed.

2. Sanity Testing:

   • Sanity testing is a narrow and deep approach to testing, focusing on specific functionalities or areas of the application that were modified or added recently.
   • It is often performed after a specific change or enhancement is made to the software to ensure that the recent changes haven't introduced any major issues.
   • Unlike smoke testing, which checks the overall stability of the software, sanity testing verifies the specific functionality or feature under consideration.
   • The primary goal of sanity testing is to verify that the recent changes or enhancements haven't adversely affected the core functionalities of the software.

In summary, smoke testing is a broader test to ensure the overall stability of the software build, while sanity testing is a narrower test focused on specific functionalities or changes. Both types of testing are essential in ensuring the quality and stability of the software product.