SmokeTests

Smoke testing is a high-level type of software testing that verifies whether the most essential functions of a build or deployment work correctly. The primary goal is to determine if the software is stable enough for further, more detailed testing. If critical failures are found, the build is rejected and returned for fixes before broader testing proceeds.

The term originates from hardware testing, where powering on a device and observing for smoke indicates a serious fault. In software, smoke tests provide a quick check of core workflows to catch showstoppers early in the development cycle. They are often discussed alongside sanity testing and build verification testing, though distinctions exist: smoke tests cover the key end-to-end paths, while sanity tests focus on new or altered functionality.

In practice, smoke tests are commonly automated as part of continuous integration and delivery pipelines. They run on a fresh deployment to confirm that essential features work and that the application is in a usable state. If the smoke test suite passes, more comprehensive testing can begin; if it fails, the issue is addressed before proceeding.

Typical coverage includes basic login, navigation to core screens, basic data input and retrieval, and simple save operations. Smoke tests are not intended to assess performance, security, or exhaustive correctness.

Best practices emphasize keeping the suite small, fast, and stable, with clear results and easy maintenance. They should be repeatable across environments and integrated into the build process to provide rapid feedback to developers.