Description: Smoke tests are a form of preliminary testing conducted to verify the basic functionality of an application. Their primary goal is to ensure that the most critical functions of the software work correctly before proceeding with more exhaustive testing. These tests are quick and focus on the essential features of the system, allowing for the identification of obvious issues that could hinder software use. In the context of automated testing, smoke tests can be implemented as scripts that run automatically whenever a change is made to the code, facilitating early error detection. In a continuous integration pipeline, these tests are fundamental as they ensure that the code integrated into the repository does not introduce failures in basic functionalities. Being an initial verification, smoke tests help save time and resources, allowing development teams to focus on more complex areas of the software once it has been confirmed that basic functions are operational.
History: The term ‘smoke testing’ originated in the software industry in the 1980s when it began to be used to describe quick tests conducted to verify that a system worked after a new build. As agile development methodologies and continuous integration became popular in the 2000s, smoke testing became a standard practice in software development, helping teams detect issues early in the development lifecycle.
Uses: Smoke tests are primarily used in software development to validate that critical functions of an application are operational after code changes. They are applied in continuous integration environments to ensure that new integrations do not break existing functionality. They are also useful in regression testing, where previously functional features are checked to ensure they still operate after modifications.
Examples: A practical example of smoke testing would be a development team implementing a new module in a web application. Before conducting more detailed tests, the team runs smoke tests to verify that the homepage loads correctly, that links work, and that forms can be submitted without errors. If any of these tests fail, the team can address the issue before proceeding with more complex testing.
