Sanity Testing Vs. Smoke Testing: What Are The Differences?
Tags: smoketesting, webdev
Published: 2023-11-21 10:51:25

Sanity testing and smoke testing are both types of software testing, but they serve different purposes in the software development life cycle.
 
**Here are the key differences between sanity testing and smoke testing:
**
**Smoke Testing:
**
**1.Purpose:**
•Smoke testing is a preliminary test conducted to check whether the major functionalities of the software are working fine. It is performed to determine if the software build is stable enough for more in-depth testing.
**2.Scope:
•Broad Scope:** Smoke testing covers the major features and critical functionalities of the software.
**3.Timing:
•Early Stage:** Smoke testing is typically performed at the beginning of the testing process or after a new build is received.
**4.Depth:
•Shallow Testing:** It is a surface-level testing approach that aims to catch major flaws or issues that could prevent further testing.
**5.Execution:
•Automation:** Smoke tests are often automated for efficiency and quick execution.
**6.Outcome:
•Pass/Fail Criteria:** If the software build passes the smoke test, it is considered stable enough for more comprehensive testing. If it fails, the build is rejected, and further testing is halted until the issues are addressed.
**7.Example:
•Example of Smoke Test:** Verifying that the application launches successfully, major navigation paths are functional, and critical features are operational.

**Sanity Testing:**

**1.Purpose:**
•Sanity testing is performed to check specific functionalities after changes are made to the codebase. It ensures that the recent modifications have not adversely affected the existing functionalities.
**2.Scope:
•Narrow Scope:** Sanity testing focuses on a specific subset of functionalities that are impacted by recent code changes.
**3.Timing:
•After Code Changes:** It is typically conducted after bug fixes, enhancements, or any other modifications to the existing code.
**4.Depth:
•Detailed Testing:** While not as comprehensive as full regression testing, sanity testing is more detailed than smoke testing, concentrating on specific areas.
**5.Execution:
•Manual and Automated:** Sanity tests may involve both manual and automated testing, depending on the specific scenarios being tested.
**6.Outcome:
•Pass/Fail Criteria:** If the specific functionalities pass the sanity test, it indicates that the recent changes have not introduced critical issues. If it fails, further investigation and testing are needed for the affected functionalities.
**7.Example:
•Example of Sanity Test:** After fixing a login issue, performing a sanity test focused on the login functionality to ensure that users can log in successfully without encountering new issues.

In summary, [smoke testing](https://www.testingxperts.com/blog/smoke-testing) is a high-level, broad assessment to determine if a software build is stable enough for further testing, while sanity testing is more focused and is conducted after specific changes to verify that those changes haven't adversely affected related functionalities. Both types of testing play important roles in ensuring the quality and stability of software during different stages of development and testing.