Smoke Testing: A quick set of basic checks on a new build to confirm the most important functions work before deeper testing begins.
Example
After a deployment, you check that the app opens, users can log in and the home page loads.
Why Smoke Testing matters for IT interns
If the smoke tests fail, there is no point in detailed testing yet — the build goes back.
Where you will hear it
You will hear this term in testing and quality discussions, from test planning to bug reports. If someone uses it and you are not sure what they mean in your project, it is completely fine to ask; every team uses terms a little differently.
Related terms
- QA (Quality Assurance): The work of making sure software meets the expected quality, through testing, reviews and improving how the…
- Regression Testing: Re-testing existing features after a change to make sure nothing that used to work is now broken.
- Severity: How badly a bug affects the system or its users.
- Software Testing: Checking whether software works as expected by using it and comparing the actual results with the expected…
- Test Case: A specific, written check: the steps to follow, the input to use and the result you expect.
- Test Data: The input data used for testing, such as sample users, products or orders.
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Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What is Smoke Testing?
A quick set of basic checks on a new build to confirm the most important functions work before deeper testing begins.
What is an example of Smoke Testing?
After a deployment, you check that the app opens, users can log in and the home page loads.
Why does Smoke Testing matter for IT interns?
If the smoke tests fail, there is no point in detailed testing yet — the build goes back.
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About the author
Dhaivat has 16+ years of experience in the IT industry, working on AI and cloud technologies, project delivery, and engineering leadership. He has interviewed and mentored many interns, wrote The Lost Intern, and runs the non-commercial Career Impact Initiative, mentoring students for free.