Top 40 Automation Testing Interview Questions

Automation Testing has emerged as a critical component to ensure the efficiency, reliability, and scalability of applications. As organizations increasingly adopt agile methodologies, the demand for skilled automation testers has skyrocketed. If you’re gearing up for an automation testing interview, you must be well-prepared to showcase your expertise and land that dream job.

To assist you in your preparation journey, we have compiled a list of the top 40 automation testing interview questions. These interview questions on automation testing cover a spectrum of topics that will not only test your technical skills but also your problem-solving and analytical skills.

Before you start with the interview questions, I would like to wish you the best on your career journey. Let’s get started.

Automation Testing Interview Questions for Freshers

For freshers looking forward to entering the automation testing field, it is essential to be well-prepared for interviews. Here are some of the common interview questions for automation testing,

1. When is a good time to automate a test?

Testers usually prefer test automation in the following cases: 

• Regression testing,
• Repetitive tasks,
• Time-consuming tasks,
• When you test with multiple data sets
• To save manual time and effort,
• Smoke and Sanity tests.

2. When will you avoid automated testing?

Do not automate in the following scenarios,

• When the software application under test has frequent updates
• Exploratory Testing
• One-time test cases
• Adhoc – Random Testing
• Usability tests that need manual intervention to analyze the test results
• Do not include unplanned test cases and those that return unpredicted test results

3. Mention the different parts of a test automation framework.

To automate testing, QAs use various software tools and frameworks. When evaluating tools for automating tests, it’s crucial to consider the following factors,

Code-based vs. Low/No code Tools

Some tools, like Selenium, need programming expertise to write test scripts. There are also low-code tools like Testsigma that allow testers to create test steps using plain English. Low/No-code tools make testing more accessible for both technical and non-technical users.

Learn more about the test automation tool Testsigma

Open Source vs. Commercial

The pricing of the tool varies significantly based on features. Commercial options may be expensive but provide technical support, while open-source alternatives are free but require research for problem-solving.

Ease of Use

Some test automation platforms are complex, requiring extensive training. On the other hand, some are user-friendly and can be employed immediately.

4. Should you automate all testing?

No, one can not automate all types of testing. For example, usability testing, exploratory testing, and accessibility testing are some types of testing that would yield accurate results when done manually by manual testers. In general, a combination of both manual and automated testing is considered best.

5. What is a test environment?

A test environment is a controlled and isolated setup designed on a computer or server for testing software applications before they are deployed into a live or production environment.

In this setup, the tester installs the recently developed application along with its dependencies on the designated machine, creating a simulation of the production environment. This enables testing the program under real-world conditions.

6. What is browser automation?

Browser automation refers to the process of automating tasks and interactions within a web browser. It involves using specialized tools to control and manipulate a web browser just as a human would. 

7. What is cross-browser testing?

Cross-browser testing refers to the process of testing web/mobile web applications on different browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Edge, IE, etc.

Learn more about cross-browser testing.

8. Why do you need cross-browser testing?

Cross-browser testing is crucial to ensure the software application works on every browser, device, platform, or version. Since different users use different browsers to access web/mobile web applications, it is important to perform cross-browser testing to ensure the application works perfectly and seamlessly on all browsers, devices, platforms, and versions.

9. What is automated regression testing?

Automated regression testing is the process of automating regression tests for fast and efficient testing. In regression testing, the tester verifies that existing features are not impacted due to code changes. The main goal is to validate that both existing and newly developed functionalities work seamlessly.

10. What are some of the best practices in test automation?

Test automation is a crucial aspect of the software development process. Here are some best practices to consider test automation:

• Select test cases for test automation.
• Assign test scenarios based on knowledge and expertise.
• Start testing early to avoid potential risks
• Choose the right test automation tool or framework.
• Create a test environment that closely mimics the production environment.
• Implement CI/CD
• Create test data (positive and negative) that simulate real-world scenarios. 

11. What is the test automation pyramid?

The test automation pyramid is a concept that represents the ideal distribution of different types of automated tests in a software testing strategy. 

The term test pyramid was introduced by Mike Cohn in his book Succeeding with Agile. The testing pyramid consists of three levels, each representing a different layer of testing, such as, 

• Unit tests,
• Integration tests,
• E2E tests.

12. How would you explain the meaning of automation testing?

Automation testing is the process of using different software tools or frameworks to execute repetitive and time-consuming tests to reduce human errors, effort, and time.

Automating the right tests can lead to faster feedback on the quality and reliability of the software application.

13. What are the general types of automation tests used in the industry?

The most popular types of automation tests are,

• Functional testing,
• Integration testing,
• Unit testing,
• Security testing,
• Performance testing,
• Regression testing,
• Cross-browser testing,
• Smoke testing,
• UI testing,
• Acceptance testing, etc.

14. What is a test script?

A test script is a set of coded instructions to execute specific actions on an application. When you run the test scripts, you can validate the test results using the status such as pass/fail/NA. 

15. What is an automation testing framework?

An automation testing framework is a structured set of guidelines, tools, and practices that facilitates the automated testing of software applications.

The framework includes various components such as functional libraries, methods, test data sources, object details, and reusable models, streamlining the testing process.

16. How are the automation testing frameworks helpful?

Automation testing frameworks provide numerous advantages, such as,

• It streamlines the testing process, allowing faster and more efficient testing.
• Ensures consistent test execution
• Promotes the reusability of test scripts
• Easy to update/maintain tests
• Custom test reporting
• Supports parallel testing
• Supports third-party integration

17. What types of testing frameworks are available in the industry?

There are different types of testing frameworks available in the market, such as,

• Code-driven testing,
• Data-driven testing,
• Keyword-driven testing,
• Modularity-driven testing,
• Model-based testing,
• Hybrid testing,
• Behavior-driven development.

18. What are some ideal and nonideal cases for using Automation testing?

Ideal scenario: Test automation is considered best in scenarios such as repetitive tasks, time-consuming, regression test cases, humongous data sets, smoke testing, etc. 

Nonideal scenario: It is not suited for exploratory testing, individual test cases, when the application under test changes regularly, ad-hoc testing, usability testing, etc.

19. How would you map the success of automation testing?

One can measure the success of automation testing using various factors, such as,

• Installation and setup costs
• Time-saving
• Reusability
• Software Quality
• Maintenance
• Test coverage
• Total number of issues found

20. How would you differentiate between manual testing and automation testing?

Manual and automated testing differ in various ways. The table below will help you understand their differences,

Manual Testing	Automation Testing
Tests are executed manually by testers.	Tests are executed with the help of test automation tools or frameworks.
Relatively slower	Faster execution
Requires human intervention for every test.	Minimal human intervention once scripts are set up.
Prone to errors with repetitive tasks.	Ideal for repetitive tasks, reducing errors.
Quick to set up as no automation is needed.	Requires initial time and effort to set up automation scripts.
Lower upfront costs but higher long-term costs.	Higher upfront costs for tools and scripts but lower long-term costs.
Requires testing skills and domain knowledge.	Requires programming and scripting skills and testing expertise. But low/no-code solves these problems.
Low investment and lower ROI.	Considerably high investment and higher ROI.
It is suitable for individual test cases, exploratory, ad-hoc, and usability testing.	It is suitable for repetitive tasks, regression testing, load testing, functional testing, etc.

Resource Alert – If you’re looking to know more about manual testing interview questions, take a quick look at the blog.

21. Do you expect automation testing to replace manual testing?

No, automation testing can not replace manual testing. Instead, a combination of both automation and manual testing will yield the best and most accurate results. Both have their own pros and cons.

22. What are the main steps in the life cycle of automation testing?

The steps involved in the life cycle of automation testing are as follows,

• Define the goals and objectives of automation testing.
• Choose the right test automation tool
• Create test cases and test data that simulate real-world scenarios
• Create a test environment that closely mimics the production environment
• Execute the automated test scripts.
• Generate detailed or custom test reports on test results.

23. What are some of the most popular tools you would use for automation testing?

The most popular tools used for automated testing are as follows,

• Selenium, 
• Testsigma,
• Appium, 
• BrowserStack,
• Ranorex, 
• Tosca, and 
• SoapUI, etc.

24. How would you select an automation tool?

Testing experts have to look into multiple factors while selecting an automation tool, such as,

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of project requirements.
• Explore a list of tools to find the ones that align with these requirements.
• Consider the testing budget allocated for testing.
• Compare the tools based on their benefits, reusability, reporting capabilities, etc.
• Select a tool based on the comparison that aligns best with the project.

25. Can we achieve 100% automation possible in any case scenario?

It is not possible to achieve 100% automation in every scenario as there are certain real-world scenarios like captcha matching that separate bots from humans or checking the background of the screen that consumes more time. In such cases, manual testing is preferred. Automating every test scenario is not a recommended choice.

Automation Testing Interview Questions for Experienced

For experienced test engineer roles, employers often seek candidates with a solid grasp of both technical and practical aspects of test automation. Here are some of the top automation testing interview questions and answers for experienced professionals,

26. Who should be responsible for test automation? Developers or the QA?

Quality Assurance Engineers or software testers are responsible for software testing and test automation. However, developers and QA should work together while testing applications so they can work together to identify and fix bugs.

Resource Alert – Check out this blog to learn more about QA interview questions.

27. What is Selenium? What are its pros and cons?

Selenium is a popular test automation framework that allows testers to automate web applications.

Pros

• It has excellent community support. 
• It is open-source and available for free. 
• Very helpful in cross-browser testing. 
• Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux. 
• It supports various programming languages like Java, Ruby, C#, Python, JavaScript, Perl, etc., allowing testers to create test scripts in any supported languages.

Cons

• Requires extensive programming skills
• Limited to web application testing, that is, one can not automate mobile or desktop application testing using Selenium.
• Lacks a technical support team

28. What are the different components of Selenium?

Selenium is a testing framework and a collection of tools that work in conjunction to provide various forms of automation testing. 

• Selenium WebDriver, 
• Selenium IDE,
• Selenium Grid, and 
• Selenium RC

29. What is UI testing?

User Interface (UI) testing is a type of software testing where testers evaluate the user interface of the application. They will check if the application’s design and layout align with the business requirements and are user-friendly. 

Check how automated GUI testing can help get test results 10x faster with Testsigma

30. What is Protractor?

Protractor is an open-source test automation tool that is designed specifically to automate the end-to-end testing of web apps.

31. What is a test automation platform?

A test automation platform is a tool or technology that streamlines the automation testing process. Developers and testers create and execute test scripts/test cases using these testing tools to test the application without much manual effort.

Automation Testing Interview Questions for 3 Years Experience

If you are someone with 3 to 5 years of experience, the questions below will help you crack the test automation interview questions,

32. What are some of the unique alternatives to Selenium?

Some alternatives to Selenium are,

• Testsigma
• Cypress
• BrowserStack
• Lambdatest
• AccelQ, etc.

33. What is the Robot framework? Provide a brief overview of its architecture.

Robot Framework is an open-source automation testing framework that is mainly used for robotic process automation (RPA).

It is designed using Python. Also, it is platform-independent, and most of the libraries are open-source. It provides a simple, readable syntax for creating test cases in a tabular format.

34. What are the test library APIs provided by the Robot Framework?

The Robot Framework provides three test library APIs:

• Static API: Involves a module or class containing methods that directly map to keyword names. These methods take arguments similar to those used in their implementation.
• Dynamic API: Keywords and their implementation details are determined at runtime.
• API Hybrid: This is a combination of both static and dynamic APIs.

35. How will you automate the basic login in a web application?

Here are the steps to automate basic login functionality:

Step 1 – Understand the project requirements.

Step 2 – Identify the various test scenarios.

Step 3 – Create test cases.

Step 4 – Create test data or input for each scenario.

Step 5 – Execute the tests using a test automation platform like Testsigma. Use positive and negative test data (valid and invalid).

Step 6 – Monitor and analyze the test results.

36. What are some risks associated with automated testing?

While automated testing offers benefits like faster and more efficient testing, it’s crucial to be aware of the risks, such as,

• Chances for negative return on investment (ROI).
• Teams have to be up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies.
• The risk associated with maintenance.
• Requires basic to strong coding skills

Learn more about test automation

37. What is CAPTCHA?

CAPTCHA is an acronym for Completely Automated Public Turing Test that helps distinguish between computers/bots and humans. It is designed to safeguard applications against spam or denial-of-service attacks by bots or scripts. It does so by asking users to complete a simple test that is challenging for computers to understand.

38. How do you automate the testing of CAPTCHA?

It should not be possible to automate the testing of CAPTCHA because that is the goal of an effective CAPTCHA technique.

39. What are some development practices to follow when writing automated tests?

Some of the development practices to follow while creating automated tests:

• It is crucial to maintain a consistent and easily readable format for the tests so it is easy to maintain.
• Avoid creating duplicate tests to reduce the overall testing time.
• Run the tests regularly and continuously to detect and fix issues early in the development cycle.

40. What is Cucumber?

Cucumber is an open-source behavior-driven development (BDD) tool. It is useful for automating web application testing. It supports multiple programming languages like Java, Ruby, Scala, Groovy, etc.

Note – If you’re looking for software testing interview questions, don’t miss this blog!

Conclusion

Being well-prepared for interviews is crucial for career success in a highly competitive field. I hope the above top 40 automation testing questions will help you understand and analyze your skills.

Remember, an interview is not just about showcasing technical prowess, but it is also an opportunity to demonstrate your problem-solving skills, communication abilities, and enthusiasm for continuous improvement. Stay curious, stay adaptable, and embrace the challenges that come your way. I wish you the best in your career journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prepare for an automation test interview?

You can easily prepare for the automation test interview by taking a look at the interview questions for automation testing along with the answers mentioned in the above blog. Also, while preparing for an automation test interview, take a look at the points below:

• Be confident and ready to learn new trends and technologies in the testing world. 
• Try to learn coding to create test scripts. Also, learn to use low/no-code tools since they are the trend in the industry.
• Get certifications that add value to your profile.