Regression and sanity testing differ in scope and timing within the development workflow¶
Insight: Sanity testing provides rapid surface-level verification of specific areas affected by code changes, while regression testing comprehensively validates that the entire application remains stable. The execution sequence is fixed: sanity testing validates build health first (often manual, completing quickly), then regression testing ensures no existing functionality broke (typically automated).
Detail: Sanity testing requires minimal documentation and focuses on areas directly touched by changes. It acts as a preliminary gate before committing to expensive full regression test execution. Teams use sanity testing after minor changes; regression testing occurs after bug fixes, feature additions, and before releases.