What is smoke test in software testing?

In software testing, a smoke test is a collection of written tests that are performed on a system prior to being accepted for further testing. This is also known as a build verification test.

Smoke test refers to the first test made after repairs or first assembly to provide some assurance that the system under test will not catastrophically fail.



This is a "shallow and wide" approach to the application. The tester "touches" all areas of the application without getting too deep, looking for answers to basic questions like, "Can I launch the test item at all?", "Does it open to a window?", "Do the buttons on the window do things?". There is no need to get down to field validation or business flows. If you get a "No" answer to basic questions like these, then the application is so badly broken, there's effectively nothing there to allow further testing.

Some facts about smoke testing:-


# A smoke test is a subset of the test cases that is typically representative of the overall test plan.
# Smoke tests are good for verifying proper deployment or other non invasive changes.
# They are also useful for verifying a build is ready to send to test.
# Smoke tests are not substitute for actual functional testing.

Smoke Testing: A quick-and-dirty test that the major functions of a piece of software work. Originated in the hardware testing practice of turning on a new piece of hardware for the first time and considering it a success if it does not catch on fire.

testing the basic or critical feature of the application...

If you are preparing for software testing interview, you can find some good software testing interview questions at


Software Testing Interview Question and Answer

1)Smoke testing is normal health checkup to a build of an application before taking it to testing in depth.....
2) Smoke testing is conducted to ensure whether the most crucial functions of a program are working, but not bothering with finer details....(Such as build verification)

smoke Testing is that which is performed when a Tester received a Build from the Developer & Check whether the Build is ready to Test or not. ............................................................................................................

Smoke testing is conducted to ensure whether the most crucial functions of a program are working, but not bothering with finer details. (Such as build verification).
Smoke testing originated in the hardware testing practice of turning on a new piece of hardware for the first time and considering it a success if it does not catch fire and smoke. In software industry, smoke testing is a shallow and wide approach whereby all areas of the application without getting into too deep, is tested.