Difference between Smoke testing and Load Testing

Smoke Testing and Load Testing are two different types of software testing used to evaluate different aspects of a software system. Let's explore the differences between them:

Smoke Testing:

1.Purpose: Smoke testing is performed to ensure that the critical functionalities of a software application are working as expected after a new build or release. It is usually conducted before more comprehensive testing to identify any major issues that could prevent further testing.

2.Scope: Smoke testing focuses on the core functionalities or critical features of the software. It does not cover in-depth testing of all the functionalities or scenarios.

3.Test Execution: Smoke tests are quick and shallow, covering a limited number of test cases that verify the basic functionality and stability of the system. It is a high-level test that checks if the major components are working and if the application is ready for further testing.

4.Objective: The objective of smoke testing is to catch showstopper defects early in the testing process and ensure that the critical areas of the software are not affected by recent changes.

5.Depth of Testing: Smoke testing does not delve deep into the application and does not cover exhaustive testing of all features or edge cases. It

focuses on a broad overview of the system's stability and readiness.

Load Testing:

1.Purpose: Load testing is performed to evaluate the performance and behavior of a software application under expected or anticipated loads. It helps determine how the application performs under normal, peak, or stress conditions.

2.Scope: Load testing is concerned with measuring the system's response time, throughput, scalability, and resource utilization when subjected to various levels of concurrent user loads.

3.Test Execution: Load testing involves simulating real-world user loads or generating high volumes of requests to stress the system and assess its performance. It may use specialized load testing tools to generate concurrent user traffic and monitor system behavior.

4.Objective: The primary objective of load testing is to identify bottlenecks, performance issues, or limitations in the system architecture, network infrastructure, or database configurations that may affect its ability to handle the expected load.

5.Depth of Testing: Load testing involves running tests with progressively increasing loads until the system's performance starts to degrade or it reaches its limits. It focuses on understanding the system's capacity, scalability, and reliability under different load conditions.

In summary, smoke testing is a quick check to ensure the critical functionality of the software is working, while load testing evaluates the system's performance and behavior under varying loads. Smoke testing is a highlevel test performed early in the testing process, whereas load testing is a more in-depth examination conducted to assess the system's scalability and performance characteristics.