Regression Testing Checklist to Run Before Every Release

A useful regression pack is short enough that someone will actually run it. Ours starts with identity, the primary revenue path, and the last three production defects — then expands only when a path breaks twice.

If your checklist takes two days, it will be skipped on Friday. If it takes ninety minutes plus a smoke suite, it becomes culture.

Confirm login and session restore, create/update/delete on the core object, payments or submit, email or webhook side effects, and role-based permissions. Then re-test any bug marked critical in the last two sprints.

API contract checks should pass before you spend time in the browser. UI tests prove the journey; API tests prove the rules.

Write exit criteria: smoke green, no open criticals, known issues listed, owner named. TestSync Lab uses this gate on Scale retainers so timezone handoffs stay explicit.

Want this checklist applied to your product? Request a free QA audit and we will tailor the first regression pack to your next release.