Introduction

When deploying new builds to production, ensuring they are stable and error-free is crucial. One effective way to achieve this is by running smoke tests. These quick tests check the most critical functionalities of an application. However, running smoke tests directly in the production environment without disrupting users can be challenging. This is where Requestly comes in handy.

In this blog, we'll explore how to use Requestly to insert a smoke test script into the production environment, ensuring your new builds are reliable before fully rolling them out.

Why Smoke Testing is Important on Production

• Quick Validation: Smoke tests provide a fast and efficient way to validate the core functionalities of your application.
• Catch Critical Issues Early: Detect any critical issues in the new build before they impact end users.
• Minimize Downtime: Ensures that the application remains stable and minimizes the risk of downtime.

Using Requestly to Insert Smoke Test Scripts

1. Install Requestly

First, install the Requestly extension from the Chrome Web Store or Requestly’s official website. Once installed, you'll see the Requestly icon in your browser.

2. Set Up an Insert Script Rule

The Insert Script Rule in Requestly allows you to inject custom JavaScript into web pages, enabling you to run scripts like smoke tests in a production environment. This feature helps you test new builds or configurations without altering the live codebase.

Here’s how you can insert a smoke test script using Requestly:

1. Open Requestly: Open Requestly app.
2. Create a New Rule: Click on New Rule and choose Insert Script.
3. Enter the URL Pattern: Add the URL pattern for the pages where you want to insert the smoke test script. This specifies where the script will be injected.
4. Add the Script: Paste your smoke test JavaScript code into the provided field. This script will run on the specified pages, performing the necessary checks.
5. Save the Rule: Click Save to apply the rule.

Best Practices for Smoke Testing on Production

• Limit Scope: Focus only on critical functionalities to minimize risks.
• Monitor Performance: Keep an eye on application performance to ensure that the smoke test doesn’t introduce latency or other issues.
• Use Version Control: Version your smoke test scripts to ensure traceability and easier rollbacks if necessary.

Conclusion

Smoke testing on production is a vital step in ensuring the reliability of new builds. With Requestly, you can seamlessly insert and manage smoke test scripts in your production environment without disturbing your end users. By following the steps outlined in this blog, you can automate and streamline your smoke testing process, leading to more robust and stable deployments.

Explore More:

• What is Prebid.js & how to debug it using Requestly!
• List of essential DevTools for Prebid.js
• How to redirect Prebid API calls to staging server for testing?