Software testing can be performed using a lot of methods. One of them is Smoke testing. Well if you are aware of this term then that’s perfect as it would be easier for you to understand the rest of the article. But for those who are beginners and have never heard the term, Don’t worry! You have arrived at the right place.
We will be starting off this article by mentioning the smoke testing definition, as it is imperative that you know what the topic is all about. Smoke testing popularly known as Build Verification Testing is a software testing method that ensures that the new software build is executable and has no issues for it to go through the next testing phase. Smoke testing is a subset of regression testing.
Most of the time individuals get confused between smoke testing and regression testing. So here are key differences that might help you get over your doubts and confusions. Let’s begin-
DIFFERENCES
Smoke testing is as follows- It refers to executing the new software build and ensuring it is ready for the next testing phase. Whereas Regression testing is a wider concept that reexamines the software build and makes sure that recent changes in the code don’t hamper the existing features. The purpose of smoke testing is to check whether the new build is deployable or not whereas regression testing ensures recent changes don’t affect the existing features.
What are some tips to master smoke testing?
- Perform smoke tests during the initial stage of the project
The main purpose of smoke testing is to find out bugs in the initial stage so conducting the smoke test initially is extremely important. It not only helps in cutting costs but also makes the process easier. - Keeping a record of the smoke test
It is extremely crucial for developers to have a record of smoke tests. If anything goes wrong one can just go back and get to know what went wrong and correct it accordingly. - The duration of smoke tests should be less
The duration of smoke tests should be less than 60 minutes at most and there’s a reason behind it. Your purpose should be to eliminate bugs that hinder the development process. So don’t wait for the process to get drawn out. If the duration is more than 60 minutes just know that something is wrong. Either the code or the test cases are too complex. - Use smoke tests to decide whether the code is ready for the next phase
Smoke testing is very important as it ensures that testers know whether the foundation of the code is correct. If not, then it is a huge problem. Therefore using smoke tests is crucial to know whether code is ready for the next phase of testing. - Use automation where needed
There’s a reason why humans started using washing machines, mixer grinders, etc. as it not only makes our lives easier but also saves our time. Therefore the key here is smoke testing automation wherever possible. It will save the organization’s time and increase its efficiency. Remember to work smart, not hard.These are a few tips that you can use to master smoke testing. Developers and others alike can use Smoke tests in software projects, and can dramatically improve code quality.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Smoke testing is an important phase in the software evaluation procedure that aims to uncover key issues early and guarantee that the application in question is sufficiently secure for further testing. However, participants must prevent several typical pitfalls to maximize the efficiency of smoke testing.
Inadequate test coverage is a typical blunder. Smoke testing ought to encompass crucial regions of the application and vital functionality, but certain groups might concentrate on a narrow set of features, resulting in possible issues being ignored. Comprehensive investigations are required to detect serious flaws early.
Another blunder is using old or incorrect test data. Using inappropriate or out-of-date data while smoke testing might result in false positives or miss serious faults. Data from tests should be useful and reflective of real-life situations.
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