1. Smoke Testing Checklist

Purpose: Quick validation that core features work after deployment.

Duration: 30-45 minutes

Frequency: Every build deployment

Application Access & Login

• Application homepage loads without errors
• Login page displays correctly (all fields present)
• Valid user can log in successfully
• Invalid credentials show error message
• Logout functionality works

Core User Workflows

• User can create new project/workspace
• User can view existing projects/workspaces
• User can edit project settings
• User can delete project (if permitted)
• User can add team member to project

Database & API

• API endpoints respond (check status codes)
• Database queries execute without timeouts
• Search functionality returns results
• Data persistence: Create, Read, Update, Delete operations work

Performance & Stability

• Application loads within acceptable time (<2s homepage)
• No JavaScript console errors on key pages
• No apparent memory leaks (browser dev tools)
• Application remains responsive during basic usage

Sign-Off

• ✓ Smoke test passed — application is usable
• OR ✗ Smoke test failed — critical issue found; halt further testing

2. Regression Testing Checklist

Purpose: Ensure existing features continue to work after changes.

Duration: 2-4 days (depending on scope)

Frequency: Every sprint / major release

Authentication & Authorization

• Login/logout workflow unchanged
• Password reset flow works
• Role-based permissions enforced
• Session timeout occurs as expected
• Multi-factor authentication (if enabled) functions

Core Features

• Project/workspace creation & management
• Document/file upload and download
• Collaboration features (comments, sharing, permissions)
• Search and filtering across data
• Reporting and analytics dashboards

Data Integrity

• No data loss on create/update/delete
• Concurrent edits handled correctly
• Undo/rollback features work as expected
• Batch operations complete without errors

Cross-Browser & Cross-Device

• Desktop: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge — latest versions
• Mobile: iOS Safari, Android Chrome
• Responsive design works on all screen sizes
• Touch interactions work on mobile/tablet

Integrations

• Third-party integrations still functional
• Webhooks deliver expected data
• API endpoints backward compatible
• Payment processing works (if applicable)

Sign-Off

• ✓ Regression test suite: ≥95% pass rate
• ✗ Critical issues found: Document and triage

3. Release Readiness Checklist

Purpose: Final gate before production deployment.

Duration: 3-5 days

Frequency: Before every production release

Functional Testing Complete

• All new features tested and verified
• All bug fixes validated and closed
• No open P0 (critical) or P1 (high) bugs
• P2 (medium) bugs documented and prioritized for next release

Performance & Scalability

• Load testing completed at expected traffic levels
• Database query performance optimized
• API response times acceptable (<500ms for critical paths)
• No memory leaks detected under sustained load

Security & Compliance

• Security review completed by security team
• No SQL injection, XSS, CSRF vulnerabilities found
• Sensitive data encrypted in transit and at rest
• Compliance checklist (GDPR, SOC2, etc.) passed
• Penetration testing completed (if required)

Infrastructure & DevOps

• Deployment scripts tested and verified
• Database migrations validated in staging
• Backup and recovery procedures tested
• Rollback plan documented and rehearsed
• Monitoring and alerting configured

Documentation & Communication

• Release notes prepared and reviewed
• API documentation updated (if changes)
• User guides/help articles updated
• Customer communication drafted (if breaking changes)
• Internal team briefing scheduled

Sign-Offs Required

• ✓ QA Lead: Testing complete, quality gates met
• ✓ Dev Lead: Code review complete, deployment ready
• ✓ Product Manager: Features meet requirements, ready for release
• ✓ Security: No security vulnerabilities
• ✓ Operations: Infrastructure ready, monitoring configured

4. Mobile-Specific Checklist

Platforms: iOS, Android

Functionality

• App installs without errors
• Core features work on both iOS and Android
• Orientation changes (portrait ↔ landscape) handled
• App backgrounding and resumption work correctly
• Deep linking functions as expected

Permissions

• Camera permission requests and handling
• Location permission requests and handling
• Photo library/gallery access permission
• Contacts access permission (if applicable)
• App works when permissions are denied

Push Notifications

• Push notifications deliver on iOS
• Push notifications deliver on Android
• Tapping notification opens correct screen
• Notification content displays correctly

Network Resilience

• App handles WiFi disconnection gracefully
• App handles cellular network switch
• Offline mode displays appropriate message
• Data syncs when connection restored

5. Accessibility Checklist

Standard: WCAG 2.1 AA

Screen Reader Support

• All interactive elements accessible to VoiceOver (iOS) / TalkBack (Android)
• Screen reader announces page titles and section headings
• Links and buttons have descriptive labels
• Form inputs have associated labels
• Dynamic content updates announced

Keyboard Navigation

• All functions accessible via keyboard
• Tab order logical and intuitive
• Focus indicator visible and clear
• No keyboard traps

Color & Contrast

• Text contrast ≥4.5:1 (normal) / ≥3:1 (large)
• Color not sole means of conveying information
• Interactive elements distinguishable

Text & Typography

• Minimum text size 16px for body text
• Text can be resized up to 200%
• Line spacing ≥1.5
• Text not justified (left-aligned preferred)