Croissants, Bagels, and Sanity Tests: Why Testing Terms Matter

Disclaimer:  Bagel lovers, please proceed with caution.  This blog post uses a croissant versus bagel analogy to illustrate a point about software testing.  While bagels are delicious and worthy of their own celebratory posts, for the sake of this argument, they represent miscommunication.  We appreciate your understanding (and your love of bagels!).

Imagine this: You walk into a café, craving a buttery, flaky croissant sandwich. You confidently order. The barista nods like they totally get you. Moments later—BAM—you’re handed…a bagel sandwich.

Sure, bagels are fine. But they’re not croissants. Now you’re left chewing on disappointment, questioning life choices, and craving those flaky layers all day.

This, my friends, is exactly what happens when software teams don’t align on testing terminologies. You ask for a “sanity test,” and someone proudly delivers a “smoke test.” Or worse, you request a “regression test,” and you’re handed 48 hours of soak testing.

It’s not that anyone’s wrong—bagels have their place—it’s just not what you needed.

The Cost of Testing Terminology Confusion

When teams speak different testing dialects, chaos ensues. Here’s what happens:

• Requirements Ambiguity: “I thought ‘sanity test’ meant this?” Nope, it didn’t. Now you’re missing features or testing unnecessary ones.
• Scope Creep: “Wait, sanity testing was supposed to take an hour? Why is Jenkins running tests longer than my Netflix binge?”
• Communication Breakdown: Conversations devolve into Slack threads that resemble FBI interrogations.
• Technical Debt: Tests overlap, gaps are missed, and bugs slip through, accumulating like unwashed dishes.
• Role Confusion: Who’s testing what again? Suddenly, two people are doing the same thing while the important stuff gets ignored.

Common Vocabulary = Clarity + Sanity

Imagine a world where everyone agrees on what “smoke test,” “regression test,” and “sanity test” mean. A world where words matter.

Here’s what happens when you align:

• No Guesswork: Everyone knows exactly what tests to run and why.
• Blazing-Fast Testing: Meetings are shorter, and everyone’s on the same page. More testing, less talking.
• Cleaner Code: Engineers stop building redundant or unnecessary tests.
• Happier Teams: Less “WTF just happened?!” and more “That’s exactly what I needed.”

No one’s eating bagels when they order croissants.

Fixing the Problem: Build a Shared Software Testing Dictionary 🗂️

Here’s how to make it happen:

• Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Gather your team for a glossary-building session. Agree on clear definitions for sanity, smoke, regression tests, and any other testing terms your team uses.  No one leaves until everyone’s on board!
• Document It: Write it down somewhere everyone can find—Google Docs, Confluence, or tattooed on a teammate’s arm.
• Make It Official: Treat it like gospel. If someone is unsure, point them to the document instead of starting a 20-message Slack debate.
• Keep it Current: Regularly review and update your definitions to reflect changes in your team, tools, and testing practices.

Real Talk: Bagels Aren’t the Problem—Misalignment Is

Bagels are fine. Bagels work. But when you ask for a croissant, you don’t want to settle for a bagel.

Misaligned testing terminologies are the same. They create unnecessary work, miscommunication, and frustration for everyone involved. Investing a little time upfront to build a shared dictionary of testing terms saves hours of chaos later.

Final Thoughts: Get Your Croissant Sandwich 🥐
Testing should be as clear and satisfying as biting into the croissant sandwich you actually ordered. When someone says “smoke test,” it shouldn’t spiral into a week-long regression marathon.

So rally your team, align on definitions, and write them down—because in software testing, life’s too short for bagel-level confusion. Get your croissant sandwich, people! 🥐✨

Hungry for More?
If you’re tired of bagel mishaps in your testing world, I’m cooking up something flaky and delicious—a glossary of software testing terminologies to get teams speaking the same language, without the guesswork.

Drop a comment, reach out, or connect with me to learn more and get early access. Let’s serve up software testing with precision, confidence, and zero bagel regrets. 🚀