Smoke testing, also known as “Build Verification Testing” or “Build Acceptance Testing,” is typically performed at the beginning of the development process to ensure that the most critical functions of a software application are working correctly. It is used to quickly identify and fix any major issues with the software before more detailed testing is performed. The goal of smoke testing is to determine whether the build is stable enough to proceed with further types of testing.

Smoke testing is a software testing method that determines whether the employed build is stable and confirms whether the quality assurance team can proceed with further testing. Smoke tests are a minimum set of tests run on each build. Smoke testing is a process where the software build is deployed to a quality assurance environment and verified to ensure the application’s stability. Smoke Testing is also known as Confidence Testing or Build Verification Testing.

Types of Smoke Testing:

There are three types of Smoke Testing:

1. Manual Testing: In this, the tester has to write, develop, modify, or update the test cases for each built product. The tester has to write test scripts for existing or new features.
2. Automated Testing: In this, the tool handles the testing process by itself, providing the relevant tests. It is very helpful when the project must be completed in a limited time.
3. Hybrid Testing: As the name implies, it combines manual and automated testing. Here, the tester writes test cases himself, and he can also automate the tests using a tool. This increases the testing’s performance as it combines manual checking and tools.
4. Daily Smoke Testing: Daily smoke testing entails conducting smoke tests every day, particularly for projects where the development process includes frequent builds and continuous integration. It helps ensure that every daily build satisfies minimal quality requirements.
5. Acceptance Smoke Testing: This kind of smoke testing confirms whether an application build satisfies the fundamental acceptance standards established by clients or stakeholders. It frequently takes place prior to more thorough acceptance testing.

Application of Smoke Testing:

• Quick feedback: Smoke tests are designed to run quickly, providing prompt feedback on whether the software is ready for the next testing phase.
• Early issue detection: Smoke testing helps identify defects early in development.
• Automated testing: Smoke tests can be automated using scripts or tools to run consistently at critical points, such as code commits, deployments, or builds.
• Continuous integration: Smoke tests can be set up to run automatically whenever the codebase changes.
• Tool selection: Different tools can be used for smoke testing, including PyTest for Python applications, Appium for mobile apps, and Travis CI for cloud-based continuous integration. 

Learn more about different types of testing in our Comprehensive Guide to Functional Testing.

Learn more about different Software Testing Courses offered at Niche Thyself, leading software testing courses institute.