What is Smoke Testing?

Smoke testing might sound like something you do with fire, but in the world of software, it’s a little different! Imagine you’ve built a brand-new toy, and you want to make sure it works before you start showing it off. You’d probably check if it turns on, moves, or makes noise—just the basic stuff. That’s what smoke testing does for software.

When a new software program or app is created, the developers need to make sure that the most important parts work properly. They do a quick check, called a “smoke test,” to see if the main features are functioning as expected. It’s like a health check-up for software! If the software passes the smoke test, it means it’s ready for more detailed testing.

Smoke testing is important because it helps find big problems early, so they can be fixed before more time is spent on other tests. Just like you wouldn’t start playing with a toy that doesn’t even turn on, developers don’t want to waste time on software that’s broken from the start.