sanitytester

Sanitytester refers to a person or automated system that performs sanity testing on a software build. Sanity testing is a quick set of checks intended to verify that the most essential features work after changes, ensuring the build is stable enough for further testing. The role, whether human or script, focuses on critical workflows and basic functionality rather than exhaustive coverage.

Sanity testing is typically executed after a new build is produced or after a major code change, before more extensive testing (regression, integration) begins. It aims to catch obvious failures early and reduce wasted testing effort on a non-viable build. If the sanity checks fail, the build is rejected or sent back for fixes.

Sanity testers can be QA engineers performing manual checks or automated programs that run a predefined safety net of tests. In modern teams, sanity tests are commonly automated and integrated into continuous integration pipelines, triggering on new commits or build artifacts and reporting results automatically.

Typical sanity test content covers core paths and critical features such as application launch, essential workflows, and basic data handling. Sanity testing differs from smoke testing in scope: smoke testing evaluates broad basic stability of the build, while sanity testing targets specific recent changes. It also differs from comprehensive regression testing in depth and duration.

Limitations include limited coverage and the potential for missing defects outside the tested area. Best practices for a sanitytester include maintaining a lean, up-to-date test set, ensuring reproducibility, aligning with release criteria, and keeping tests lightweight to run quickly in CI environments.