Smoke Vs Sanity Vs Regression Beautiful Example

We can consider a River Analogy to understand the difference between Smoke Testing, Sanity Testing and Regression Testing better. Before moving to the analogy, lets consider the very basic definition of three of these testing:

• Smoke Testing: Testing all (wide) areas related to new feature, not deeply. Determines if we should go for further testing.

• Sanity Testing: Testing narrow areas related to new feature, deeply.

• Regression testing: Testing all areas related to new feature, deeply.

If we consider a river, for instance, which has, for instance 1000 feet width, and contains “dusts” in its water (which can be considered as “bugs” in software), the goal for the corresponding three types of tests should be as follows:

For Regression Testing: to find out all the dusts that are available on surface and under the water in all over the river.

"Testing all areas related to the new features deeply."

For Smoke Testing: to find out the dusts in all over the surface of the river, which not includes the dusts under water.

"Testing all (Wide) areas related to the new features, Not deeply. It determines if we should do further testing."

For Sanity Testing: to find out the dusts in a specific width (for instance left side 200 feet), which not only includes the dusts on surface, but also includes the dusts under water, till the last depth of the river.

"It is same as regression testing but here you make a risk judgement call and compromise part of your testing."