Quality Assurance - Effective strategy from smoke testing to regression testing

Popular as Build Verification Testing, Smoke testing is a software testing process based on non-exhaustive set of tests conducted with an objective of ensuring the working of the most important functions. This test is performed with a motive of assuring that the build can proceed further and is stable to perform well.  Smoke testing covers all the major functions of software but none of them are being observed in detail. Smoke Testing is performed manually or with the help of automation tools/scripts. The results of smoke testing are well documented.

As Smoke Testing does not into the depth of the functionalities of software during the testing process, Regression Testing is conducted to look into the minute details of testing process. Regression testing involves the testing of computer programs so as to ensure accuracy in the working of older programming with the added new features. Regression testing is done by code testing specialists. The test department coders works on the development of code testing scenarios which will help in testing the new units of code after they have been written. All these test cases then form the test bucket. Before launching the new version of a software product, the old version test cases are run against the new version to verify if the old capabilities are still in a working condition or not. Regression testing is one of the most essential components of any software development cycle.

Before the final launch of the software, smoke testing ensures the success of the software due to which it is considered to be an essential part of the testing process. Importance of Smoke Testing is as stated below:

• It minimizes the risk of integration. When two teams are working separately on their respective coding integrates the results doesn’t turn out to be positive. Integration errors can also lead to cancellation of projects. Considering which Smoke test makes the errors manageable preventing problems.
  
• It also helps in identifying the bugs in the early testing stage.
  
• Smoke testing does not consume much of our time and can be completed within limited period of time.
  
• It reveals the major problems when the software is newly built. It identifies not the coding errors but the errors pertaining to incomplete setup or configuration.
  
• It also assists in ensuring that the issues fixed in the previous build are not affecting the major functionalities of the application.
  
• Smoke testing does not demand much of the test cases to conduct the test.
  
• The major problems can be detected in the early stage which helps in reducing time and saving the cost.
  
• It also reduces the risk of low quality delivery. Smoke testing can aid in the prevention of quality problems and does not allow quality issues to be raised at any point of time.