What is typically included in smoke testing?

Smoke testing is generally used as a preliminary check to ensure that the most critical functionalities of a software application are working after a new build or update. The primary goal is to identify any major issues before proceeding to more in-depth testing phases.

This type of testing is characterized by its focus on key features—touching on the most essential functionality without getting into detailed scenarios or exhaustive testing procedures. By performing a quick assessment, testers can rapidly assess the stability of the build and determine whether it is ready for further testing. This approach allows teams to save time and resources by identifying glaring defects early in the development cycle.

Comprehensive security checks, detailed performance evaluations, and backend database analyses are significantly more thorough processes that are not part of the smoke testing scope. These activities typically occur after smoke testing is complete, ensuring that the application passed the crucial initial checks before diving deeper into various aspects of quality.