Sanity Testing

After sharing information on Smoke testing in the previous articles, in today’s Software testing class I am explaining about the Sanity testing. In this post I will explain the What is a sanity testing, definition and tips on this testing.

What is a Sanity Testing?

After receiving a Software build with the minor issues fixes in code or functionality, this testing is carried out to check whether the bugs reported in previous build are fixed & there is regression introduced due to these fixes i.e. not breaking any previously working functionality. The main aim of this testing to check the planned functionality is working as expected. Instead of doing whole Regression testing definition this testing is performed.

Sanity tests helps to avoid wasting time and cost involved in testing if the build is failed. Tester should reject the build upon build failure.

After completion of regression testing the this testing is started to check the defect fixes & changes done in the software application is not breaking the core functionality of the software. Typically this is done nearing end of SDLC i.e. while releasing the software. You can say that this testing is a subset of acceptance testing. We can also say Tester Acceptance Testing for Sanity testing. Such testing is narrow & deep approach of testing, it needs to concentrate limited & main features of testing in detailed.

Here are the few consolidated points:

• It follows narrow and deep approach with detailed testing of some limited features.
• It is typically non-scripted.
• It is a sub-set of regression testing.
• It is cursory testing to prove software application is working as mention in the specification documents & meets the user needs.
• It is used to verify the requirements of end users are meeting or not.
• It is to check the after minor fixes the small section of code or functionality is working as expected & not breaking related functionality.

Hope you get clear idea of Sanity testing in the above article & cleared confusions on Sanity testing.

Many of the testing guys are having confusion about Sanity tests and Smoke tests. So, I will cover “What is a difference between Sanity tests & Smoke tests?” in my upcoming article, Stay tuned for more details.