What is a smoke test in software?
A smoke test is a short, broad check that a build starts and its most critical functions still work before deeper testing begins.
SMOKE TESTING, DEFINED
Smoke test software definition: a short pass that decides whether a build is ready to test
A smoke test in software is a short, broad set of checks that confirms a build starts and its core functions work before deeper testing begins. It is a first checkpoint, not a full test pass.
BuniOD records that first pass as a browser scenario from plain-language steps, then reruns it on demand or daily — and nothing runs until you approve it.
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app.example.com — smoke run
Smoke scenariosSample data
01Sign-up — plain-language step
02Checkout — plain-language step
03Onboarding — plain-language step
CORE DEFINITIONS
Key answers
Each answer stands on its own.
What is another name for a smoke test?
Smoke testing is also called build verification testing, because the build is verified before the team invests in deeper tests.
What does a smoke test check?
The build's first checkpoint: that the application loads and that the critical paths the team depends on stay usable.
When does a smoke test run?
First, before any deeper testing — the moment a new build reaches the test environment.
Is a smoke test exhaustive?
No. It is broad and shallow by design; it decides whether deeper testing is worth starting.
What happens when a smoke test fails?
The build goes back for a fix before more testing time is spent on it.
SCOPE & BOUNDARIES
What a smoke test checks — and what it does not
A smoke test checks the build's first checkpoint: that it starts, and that the critical paths stay usable.
It checks
- The application loads at all
- Sign-in and sign-up
- Checkout and billing paths
- Booking and onboarding flows
- Core navigation between main screens
It does not check
- Every edge case or input combination
- Full regression coverage
- Performance or load behaviour
- Unit-level logic
- Visual polish
Copyable definition
The definition, in one paragraph
A smoke test is a short, broad set of checks that confirms a build starts and its core functions work before deeper testing begins. It is a first checkpoint, not a full test pass.
Written to stand alone in a test plan, QA checklist, or onboarding doc.
WORKFLOW POSITION
Where a smoke test sits in the build flow
The smoke test is the gate between a finished build and the deeper tests that follow it.
01
Deploy
A new build reaches the test environment.
02
Smoke
The short, shallow pass runs first.
03
Check
Critical paths are exercised: sign-in, sign-up, checkout, core navigation.
04
Pass
Deeper testing and regression begin.
05
Fail
The build returns for a fix before more testing time is spent.
AGILE CADENCE
Smoke testing in agile delivery
In agile delivery, a smoke test is the gate at the start of a build — not a phase at the end.
Each increment ends with a build, and the smoke test answers one question before the team spends more time: is this build stable enough to test? When the answer is no, the build goes back early, with the context still fresh.
- It runs before deeper testing, not after it.
- Its scope stays fixed and shallow as the product grows.
- The same confirmed scenarios rerun on every build.
PLATFORM CAPABILITIES
How BuniOD runs a smoke test
BuniOD turns the first-checkpoint pass into a recorded browser scenario: you describe the flow in plain language, review what it recorded, and rerun it on demand or daily.
Plain-language steps
Write the steps and the expected result in plain language. BuniOD records them as a runnable scenario with matched elements and checks.
Review before anything runs
Generated scenarios wait for confirmation. Only confirmed scenarios are included in runs, and nothing runs until you approve it.
Real browser execution
Scenarios run in headless Chromium at a desktop viewport, on demand or once daily at a chosen time.
Business processes
Group ordered scenarios into a business process; when an earlier scenario fails, the dependent ones are skipped.
Run history
Each run keeps step and check results, screenshots, and console and network logs.
Failure explanations
BuniOD names the step or check that failed and why. The run stops at the first failure and is not retried automatically.
HONEST BOUNDARIES
What BuniOD does not do yet
BuniOD publishes its gaps, because a smoke test you can trust needs honest boundaries.
- Desktop Chromium only — no Firefox, Safari, or mobile browsers.
- Daily scheduling only — no hourly or per-pull-request runs.
- No CI/CD trigger or public API yet; Jira and GitHub Actions integrations are coming soon.
- No code export — scenarios live in BuniOD.
- CAPTCHA can stop a run; use a test environment with CAPTCHA disabled or a test key.
- Failed runs are not retried automatically.
- Scenarios may create or change test data.
- BuniOD does not currently hold SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certification.
PRICING MODEL
Plans that price the work, not the seats
Pricing is based on the work the AI does — not on seats.
Free
$0/month
500K tokens/period
New runs and generation pause until the next period.
Pro
$39/month
5M tokens/period · $3.99 per 1M extra tokens
Work continues past the allowance.
Scale
$59/month
20M tokens/period · $2.99 per 1M extra tokens
Work continues past the allowance.
Every plan includes unlimited projects, unlimited scenarios, unlimited team members, daily scheduled runs, screenshots and logs, self-healing, business processes, and test identities with email checks.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Smoke testing questions, answered
Clear answers to common engineering and QA considerations.
Is smoke testing the same as sanity testing?
No. A smoke test is broad and shallow across the whole build; a sanity test is a narrow check of one specific area or change.
Does a smoke test replace regression testing?
No. A smoke test only decides whether deeper testing should start; regression coverage comes after it passes.
How long should a smoke test take?
Short enough to run before deeper testing begins. Its scope is deliberately fixed and shallow, so it stays a first checkpoint rather than a test suite.
How does smoke testing fit into agile delivery?
It gates each build at the start: the team confirms the build is stable before spending more testing time on it.
Can a smoke test be automated without writing scripts?
Yes. In BuniOD you write the steps and expected result in plain language; the AI records the element matches and checks, and you confirm the scenario before any run.
Can I get this definition in a document I can share?
Yes — copy the copyable definition card above into your test plan, QA checklist, or onboarding doc. It is written to stand alone without the rest of the page.
Make the build's first checkpoint automatic
Describe a user flow. BuniOD tests it in a real browser. Nothing runs until you approve it.
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