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Explore the top 31 automation testing interview questions to prepare for your next job interview as a Software tester or QA.
Published on: August 6, 2025
OVERVIEW
Are you preparing for an automation testing interview? You've landed on the right page! With the help of our list of top 31 automation testing interview questions, you may polish your technical skills and get a deep insight into understanding what interviewers typically ask.
Whether you're a seasoned automation tester or a newcomer to the field, these questions will equip you with the essential knowledge to impress interviewers.
Automation Testing Interview Questions are designed to assess your knowledge of automation fundamentals, test frameworks, popular tools like Selenium, and real-world scenarios like dynamic element handling or CI/CD integration. Whether you’re preparing for a QA role or a DevOps-focused testing position, mastering these topics is essential.
1. Fundamentals of Automation Testing
Automation testing uses software tools to execute pre-written tests automatically, reducing manual effort and increasing testing efficiency.
It speeds up test cycles, improves accuracy, enhances test coverage, and ensures faster feedback during development.
No. Automation is ideal for repetitive tasks, but manual testing is better for exploratory testing and UI/UX evaluation.
Requirement Analysis, Test Design, Test Execution, Test Maintenance, Reporting, Regression & Retesting
2. Frameworks & Best Practices
A framework provides a structured approach to designing and organizing test scripts. Examples include Keyword-driven, Data-driven, Hybrid, and Page Object Model (POM).
They enhance test reusability, maintainability, scalability, and enable features like parallel execution and custom reporting.
A model that emphasizes having more unit tests, fewer integration tests, and minimal UI tests for optimal speed and stability.
Tests that give inconsistent results. To stabilize them, use proper waits, mock services, and rerun strategies in CI pipelines.
3. Tools & Technologies
Popular tools include Selenium, Appium, TestNG, JUnit, Cucumber, and Robot Framework.
A widely-used tool for automating web applications. It supports multiple browsers and programming languages.
TestNG is a testing framework for Java that supports parallel execution, parameterization, prioritization, and built-in reporting.
A browser that runs without a UI. It speeds up test execution and is used in CI environments.
4. Real-World Scenarios & Interview Questions
By identifying UI elements (username, password, login button), applying waits, and verifying the post-login action using Selenium or any chosen tool.
Use Explicit Waits, Relative XPath, JavaScriptExecutor, and Fluent Waits to interact with elements that change during runtime.
Use Selenium's switchTo().alert() with methods like accept(), dismiss(), and getText() to interact with alerts.
Trigger automated test scripts via CI tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, or GitHub Actions as part of the deployment pipeline.
5. Key Strategy & Interview Tips
Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) uses natural language (Gherkin) to define test cases. Tools like Cucumber and SpecFlow allow non-technical users to collaborate in test creation.
Use frameworks with built-in reports (TestNG, Allure, ExtentReports) or custom logging with integration into CI dashboards.
Summary: Understanding automation testing isn’t just about tools, it's about implementing strategy, selecting the right frameworks, and optimizing for maintainability and speed. Mastering these commonly asked interview questions ensures you’re job-ready for any automation QA role.
Automation Testing Interview Questions
Note: We have compiled all Automation Testing Interview Questions List for you in a template format. Feel free to comment on it. Check it out now!!
Automation testing is a software testing technique that uses automated scripts and testing tools to validate the software functionality and ensure it meets requirements before release. The primary goal of automation testing is to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and test coverage while minimizing human errors.
Automation testing tool is a software application that automates the process of testing software applications. It allows testers to execute test cases automatically, eliminating manual testing and increasing testing efficiency and accuracy.
When selecting an automated testing tool, there are several factors to consider, such as your application, testing needs, and your team’s preferences. The popular automation testing tools in the market are:
Aspect | Manual Testing | Automation Testing |
---|---|---|
Execution Process | Tests executed manually by human testers | Tests executed using automated scripts and tools |
Speed and Efficiency | Relies on human speed and accuracy, can be slower | Faster and more efficient, especially for repetitive tests |
Resource Dependency | Heavily relies on human testers, leading to scalability challenges and higher costs. | Reduces resource dependency on human testers, utilizing automated scripts. |
Exploratory Testing | Well-suited for dynamic exploration, allowing testers to adapt in real-time. | Less effective due to its scripted nature, and better for repetitive scenarios. |
Initial Setup and Maintenance | Minimal initial setup, may involve more documentation | Requires initial investment in script development and tool setup, regular maintenance |
Test Coverage | Coverage may be limited due to time and resource constraints | Achieves broader test coverage, runs large numbers of test cases quickly |
No, automation testing cannot replace manual testing. Automated testing is efficient for repetitive tasks but requires more flexibility and human instinct for exploratory and in-depth testing scenarios. A balanced approach using automated and manual testing is recommended for software testing.
Automation testing follows a six-step process to ensure software quality:
Check out the blog Efficient Test Design - The Why, Which, and How? to decrease the total SDLC cost with efficient test designs.
Software testing can be classified into two categories: functional testing and non-functional testing.
Functional Testing involves testing the individual features and functionalities of the software to ensure they operate correctly. The goal is to ensure that the software meets the functional expectations and works as intended for end-users.
Functional Testing can further be classified into the following types:
Non Functional Testing focuses on the characteristics that define the software's overall performance, reliability, usability, and other non-functional attributes. The goal is to ensure that the software works correctly and meets the performance, security, and user experience expectations.
Non-functional testing can further be classified into the following types:
Explore the potential of Software Testing Tools - because the more you know, the better you implement.
Automating test case enables teams to prioritize critical scenarios, scale test coverage, and deliver feedback for faster and robust software releases. Since not all test cases need to be automated, it's essential to decide which test cases to automate to optimize resources, maximize return on investment, and streamline testing processes.
Some of the main criteria one should consider while deciding which test cases to automate are as follows:
A test automation framework is a structured set of guidelines and practices used in test automation to provide a standardized and efficient way to design, develop, and execute automated tests. It provides a foundation for the test automation process by defining how test scripts are organized, how test data is managed, and how test results are reported.
Read more about 35 Best Test Automation Frameworks for 2024.
Automation frameworks offer the following benefits that prove helpful in the automation testing of software applications:
Test data is used to test a software application's functionality and behavior. It's all about what you input, what conditions you're in, and what values you're looking for. The significance of test data is that it can help you create realistic scenarios, test boundaries, test data-driven approaches, and more.
A test environment refers to the setup and conditions for testing. It includes the hardware, software, network configurations, and other elements necessary to execute tests. Test environments aim to replicate the production environment as closely as possible to ensure the software is tested under realistic conditions.
Regression testing is a software testing methodology that ensures that recent changes to a software application have not adversely affected its existing features. The primary goal of regression testing is to detect any bugs or issues that may have been introduced due to new code modifications, bug fixes, enhancements, or updates.
Cross browser testing is a software testing methodology that ensures a web application works as intended consistently across different browsers as web browsers can interpret and render web pages differently. The goal is to provide a consistent user experience for all users, regardless of their browsers.
With LambdaTest's Selenium Cloud Grid, cross-browser testing is efficient and scalable. Speed up the software release process and provide a top-notch user experience to your customers by testing web applications across 3000+ browsers, real devices, and operating systems.
Depending on its implementation, automation testing can be both black box and white-box testing.
The choice between black box and white box automation testing depends on the testing objectives, the level of detail required, and the specific use case.
Selenium is an open-source framework to automate web browsers.
Advantages of Selenium include:
Disadvantages of Selenium include:
Selenium comprises four main components:
Dynamic elements are the elements on a web page with attributes or properties that can change dynamically during runtime. These changes may occur due to user interactions, updates in data, or other events triggered by the application.
The right strategies for locating and interacting with these elements are crucial during automation testing. With Selenium waits, XPaths, and JavaScript execution (using JavaScriptExecutor in Selenium Java or execute_script() in Python), we can handle the execution of dynamic elements.
Some examples of dynamic elements are clocks and timers, live feeds, form autocomplete, interactive maps, real-time notifications, weather widgets, etc.
Page Object Model (POM) in Selenium is a design pattern that establishes an object repository for storing all web elements, reducing code duplication, and enhancing test case maintenance. In this model, each web page of an application is treated as a class, and each class file contains elements specific to that page. Testers can then use these elements to interact with the website under test.
This approach offers several benefits in Selenium automation testing:
Synchronization problems arise when the automation script executes quicker than the web application under test. Web elements that render conditionally or slowly could be the source of this. Asynchronous activities and dynamic content are common in web applications; unexpected behavior and test failures could occur if the automation script cannot keep up with these changes. Synchronization is necessary for the automation script to communicate with the web page elements when they are stable and prepared.
Synchronization issues can be handled by using any of the following methods in Selenium:
Thread.Sleep:
While not a recommended practice due to its static nature, one can use `Thread.sleep()` to introduce pauses in test scripts. However, this approach is less efficient and can make tests slower.Reading Complete Solution for Synchronization in Selenium WebDriver may be helpful if you want to understand it in more detail.
Automating the login process for a web application involves using a scripting language to communicate with the login page. Let’s see how we can automate the login process using Selenium and Python by taking the LambdaTest website as an example.
#import necessary modules
from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
import time
class LambdaTest:
def __init__(self, driver):
self.driver = driver
#navigate to the url
def open_url(self, url):
self.driver.get(url)
# Function to automate login.
def valid_sign_in(self, email, password):
sign_in_link = self.driver.find_element(By.XPATH, '//*[@id="header"]/nav/div/div/div[2]/div/div/div[2]/a[1]')
sign_in_link.click()
time.sleep(5)
email_field = self.driver.find_element(By.ID, "email")
email_field.send_keys(email)
time.sleep(5)
password_field = self.driver.find_element(By.ID, "password")
password_field.send_keys(password)
time.sleep(5)
sign_in_button = self.driver.find_element(By.ID, "login-button")
sign_in_button.click()
time.sleep(10)
return "Welcome - LambdaTest" in self.driver.title
def main():
driver = webdriver.Chrome()
test = LambdaTest(driver)
test.open_url("https://www.lambdatest.com/intl/en-in")
# Replace with your valid email address and password
assert test.valid_sign_in("abc@gmail.com", "xxx"), "Login failed."
driver.quit()
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()
Handling alert popups in Selenium WebDriver involves using methods provided by the `Alert` interface. Let’s see how we can handle them:
Alert alert = driver.switchTo().alert();
alert.accept(); // Click OK
alert.dismiss(); // Click Cancel
String alertMessage = alert.getText(); // Get the alert message
Alert promptAlert = driver.switchTo().alert();
promptAlert.sendKeys("Your input");
promptAlert.accept(); // Confirm
// Execute JavaScript to accept the alert
((JavascriptExecutor) driver).executeScript("window.alert = function() {};");
Remember to use appropriate try-catch blocks to handle exceptions that may arise when working with alerts, such as `NoAlertPresentException`.
TestNG (Test Next Generation) is a testing framework for the Java programming language inspired by JUnit and NUnit. It provides a wide range of features and functionalities for testing, making it a popular choice for both unit testing and integration testing in Java applications.
Advantages of Using TestNG
Disadvantages of Using TestNG
TestNG enables parallel test execution in the following ways:
Check out our detailed blog on Parallel Testing in TestNG to dive deep into the concept.
Headless browser testingrefers to running web browser tests without displaying the graphical user interface (GUI).
Why to Use Headless Browsers:
The Robot Framework is an open-source, keyword-driven test automation framework designed for acceptance testing and acceptance test-driven development (ATDD).
Let’s look at an overview of Robot framework’s architecture.
Reporting and logging test results provide insights into the test execution process and help identify issues.
Logging Test Results
Reporting Test Results
Few development practices to be kept in mind when writing automated tests are as follows:
Test Automation Pyramid is a conceptual model used in software testing representing the ideal distribution of automated tests across different testing levels. By adhering to the pyramid's principles, teams can achieve quicker feedback, improved code quality, and more efficient testing practices.
The pyramid consists of three layers, each corresponding to a different level of testing:
Behavior Driven Development (BDD) is a software development methodology that encourages collaboration between developers, testers, and non-technical stakeholders to ensure that software development aligns with business objectives. BDD focuses on defining the behavior of a system from a user's perspective. It often uses a specific format known as Given-When-Then (GWT) to structure and describe test scenarios in a natural language that anyone can understand.
In BDD, automated tests are written based on the application's expected behavior. The GWT format makes it easier for all team members to discuss and understand how the software should work.
Cucumber and SpecFlow are popular BDD frameworks that implement the BDD methodology. They use the Gherkin language features to enhance test collaboration:
Being well-prepared for automation testing interviews is crucial for both newcomers and experienced professionals. These questions serve as a valuable resource for enhancing your technical knowledge and readiness for interviews. By mastering the topics discussed in the blog, you can confidently approach your next automation testing interview and take significant steps forward in your career.
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