Test in Production Meme

Testing in Production is a bad practice.

July 8, 2025 by cryan.com

In QA, the phrase "test in production" is often met with a mix of laughter and dread. A popular meme circulating since July 9, 2019, captures this sentiment perfectly. Featuring a house engulfed in flames with the words "in this house we test in production," this image has become a humorous yet cautionary tale for QA professionals and developers alike.

The Meme Explained

The image depicts a simple house drawing with flames surrounding it, symbolizing chaos or disaster. The text "in this house we" is overlaid on the structure, leading to the bold declaration "test in production" at the bottom, accompanied by more flames. The humor lies in the absurdity of testing software in a live environment, where real users are affected, rather than in a controlled setting.

The Reality of Testing in Production

While the meme is funny, for me, it touches on a real issue. Testing in production happens more often than an team would admit - due to tight deadlines, overlooked bugs, or inadequate testing environments. This practice can lead to crashes, data loss, or frustrated users, much like the fiery chaos depicted. QA professionals advocate for robust pre-launch testing, including unit tests, integration tests, and user acceptance testing, to avoid such scenarios.

Lessons for QA Teams

This meme serves as a reminder of the importance of a solid QA process:

• Pre-Production Testing: Ensure all features are tested in a staging environment that mirrors production.
• Monitoring: Implement real-time monitoring to catch issues early if production testing is unavoidable.
• Culture Shift: Foster a culture where cutting corners is discouraged, and quality is prioritized.

Conclusion

The "test in production" meme is a lighthearted jab at a serious topic. While it may elicit a chuckle, it also underscores the need for diligence in quality assurance. Let's keep the flames where they belong - in the meme, not our live systems! Share your own QA horror stories or laughs in the comments below.