Software Engineering basics - Smoke Testing in Software Engineering

Smoke Testing in Software Engineering

Definition

Smoke Testing (also known as Build Verification Testing) is a preliminary level of software testing performed to check whether the most important functions of a software build work correctly.

It ensures that the critical functionalities of the application are stable enough for further, more detailed testing.

Purpose of Smoke Testing

To verify that a new build is stable before running full test cycles.
To detect major issues early, saving time and effort.
To avoid wasting resources on unstable builds.
To ensure that the core features work as expected after integration or changes.

Activities Involved in Smoke Testing

Step No.	Activity	Description
1	Receive the Build	The testing team receives a new software build from the development team after code compilation and integration.
2	Install and Configure the Build	The build is deployed or installed in the test environment and configured as needed for testing.
3	Prepare Smoke Test Cases	A set of high-level test cases is created that covers the main functionalities of the application (e.g., login, basic navigation, data input/output).
4	Execute Smoke Tests	Run the smoke test cases manually or using automation tools to check the basic functionality.
5	Record Results	Document which tests passed or failed during smoke testing.
6	Analyze Failures	If a test fails, identify whether it’s due to build issues, environment issues, or configuration errors.
7	Decide Build Acceptance	Based on results:

If smoke tests pass → Build is accepted for further testing.
If smoke tests fail → Build is rejected and sent back to developers for fixing. |
| 8 | Report Findings | Prepare a short summary report showing test results, defects found, and build status. |

Diagram: Smoke Testing Process

Here’s a simple text-based diagram showing the flow:

        ┌────────────────────────┐
        │  New Build from Devs   │
        └───────────┬────────────┘
                    │
                    ▼
        ┌────────────────────────┐
        │ Install in Test Env.   │
        └───────────┬────────────┘
                    │
                    ▼
        ┌────────────────────────┐
        │ Execute Smoke Tests    │
        └───────────┬────────────┘
                    │
         ┌──────────┴──────────┐
         ▼                     ▼
 ┌────────────────┐     ┌────────────────┐
 │ Critical Tests │     │ Critical Tests │
 │     Passed     │     │     Failed     │
 └───────┬────────┘     └───────┬────────┘
         │                      │
         ▼                      ▼
 ┌────────────────────┐   ┌────────────────────┐
 │ Accept Build for   │   │ Reject Build and   │
 │ Further Testing    │   │ Report to Dev Team │
 └────────────────────┘   └────────────────────┘

Example Scenario

Suppose:
You receive a new build of a shopping website.
Your smoke tests may include:

Launching the application successfully.
Logging in with valid credentials.
Searching for a product.
Adding an item to the cart.
Checking out.

If these basic flows work → you proceed with detailed functional testing.
If any major step fails → the build is rejected.

Types of Smoke Testing

Manual Smoke Testing – Testers execute smoke test cases manually.
Automated Smoke Testing – Automated scripts (e.g., using Selenium, Jenkins) execute smoke tests automatically after each build.

Advantages

Quickly identifies broken builds.
Saves time and cost by preventing deeper testing on unstable versions.