We have something for you if you are looking for interview questions on test automation. It would have been great to read minds and give you the exact questions, but we have the next best thing! Here is a list of questions and answers on QA automation that will provide you with a head start to prepare for the interview. Remember, these are just general questions to guide you. In reality, interviewers and hiring managers may ask questions based on their team’s requirements.
QA automation interview questions
1. Why choose automation testing?
Your answer should be on the following lines.
Automation testing helps save time and cost while improving testing efficiency. It is easy to replicate testing across different platforms and offers accurate results.
2. Tell us some of the prominent differences between manual testing and automation testing.
- Human effort drives manual testing. It does not involve any specialized tools.
- A software solution like Avo Assure enables automated testing.
- Automation testing works for repeatable tests on software functions that remain more or less constant.
- Manual testing is suitable for non-repeatable tests, namely areas of the software in which user behavior plays an important role.
3. Where is automation testing commonly used?
Automation testing becomes relevant when testing large applications within tight deadlines. QA teams use test automation tools to test applications quickly and efficiently without any human interventions. It uses different test approaches and replaces the task of manual testers to improve the overall test coverage effectively within a given time frame. When will you need to automate a test?
Automation test works best for repetitive tasks, for instance, regression test cases, when testing multiple data sets, smoke and sanity tests, etc.
4. Can you name the features and benefits of Quick Test Pro(QTP)?
Some of the key features and benefits of Quick Test Pro are the following:
- It works based on keywords
- It works for web-based applications, both client and server
- We can use the run-time data table for persisting values
- We can record screenshots
- Its data-driven testing features are worth mentioning
- It can handle errors well
5. Tell us what you know about Selenium.
Selenium is an open-source automated testing framework. It has been built for web applications. The framework can be deployed across Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems using the Selenium test suite. Testers use different languages, like Java, Python, and PERL, to write test scripts in Selenium.
6. Is it possible to achieve 100% automation?
No, it will not be possible to achieve 100% automation. For example, there can be several edge cases or seldom executed cases. For such scenarios, manual testing is more suitable.
7. How would I implement automation for the first time? What will be the initial steps?
My step-by-step approach would be as follows.
- First, I should identify the test cases that I have to automate
- Next, I have to select a suitable solution and design for the framework.
- Then, I will create the utility files and environment files.
- The next step would be scripting. However, this step can be skipped if I’m using no-code automation.
No code automation allows us to test an application without writing any test script.
- Finally, I will sort out and report the tests that passed and those that failed.
I would also allocate time for maintaining the scripts and enhancing the results.
8. What kind of test cases should be automated?
The following are some of the test cases that are ideal for automation.
- Test cases that verify critical functions of the software under test.
- Repetitive and tedious test cases, which are difficult to execute manually.
- Time-consuming test cases.
- When load testing is involved.
9. What kind of test cases cannot be automated?
- A test case that is newly designed but not executed at least once manually is not suitable for automation.
- Automated testing is not ideal when the test case requirements are constantly changing
- The areas of the software under test that produce unpredictable results are ideal for manual testing.
- Software functions that need urgent testing to fix bugs.
10. What are the conditions ideal for manual testing?
Manual testing is ideal in the following scenarios:
- Exploratory testing
- Usability testing
- Random testing
11. What are the different types of software testing that you can automate?
- User interface (UI) testing: UI tests ensure the application meets the GUI specifications.
- Functional testing: As the name suggests, this test checks if the app performs all the functionalities the way it is expected to do.
- Unit testing: Unit testing checks if an application module works as designed.
- Server performance testing: It is carried out to ensure that an application running on a server can perform normally when many users are accessing the application simultaneously.
- Security testing: Application security is verified by carrying out this test.
- Memory leak testing: Tests how much load the application can withstand when there is an unusual spike in traffic.
- Load testing: Tests how much load an application can take with a gradual increase in load. Without test automation, it would not be easy to simulate realistic loads.
12. Additional questions to check your automation testing experience and background.
- How have you implemented automation testing in your past job?
- Have you ever done automation testing before? What were the challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?
- Have you ever written a test case?
- Tell us about your experience with a test environment.
- Who do you think is responsible for automation testing? A QA tester or a developer?
We hope these interview questions will help you crack your automation testing interview.
At Avo, we offer a suite of automation products that help you stay ahead of the curve. With our intelligent automation solutions, we help you save time, free up human resources, improve quality, and deliver error-free software products faster. Get a free demo to know more about Avo’s modern automation solutions.
