The roadmap for automation testing with basic tips where to start!!
By: Sanjay Kumar, Upgrade To Selectorshub - Xpathtool
Tags: Software Testing, Automation Testing, Testing, Selenium, Testers

Q 0. Why to be an automation tester?

This should be your passion and choice because there is always a better option when you choose one to be.

Roadmap for automation testing

Q 1. What you must know, or you should learn at first?

It’s also fine even if you don’t know anything about testing. Testing is an inbuilt feature in every person. We all know how to test the taste of food. So first you start with very basic testing and learn how to manually test an application. Now considering that you know how to test an application manually. Here are simple steps to start with automation-

a) If you know any programming language, that’s amazing you can start with Selenium along with that language. Just google for basic setup and first test case for example- How to write a test case in Java-Selenium.

b) If you don’t know any programming language then also don’t worry. It’s not rocket science. Being a chemical engineer if I can learn then definitely you can also. Start with any programming language like Python or Java or whichever language is being used in your company (most preferably). It just required very basic knowledge of language not the data structure and all to start with automation so don’t worry.

c) Do some practice and write a few programs using if-else and for loops.

d) Now you learn How to write the first test case in Java-Selenium (language you learnt — automation api you want to use). I would recommend starting with Selenium because it has huge community support and lots of blogs and videos to learn.

Q 2. How to set up a robust automation framework?

A framework is a set of rules and requirements. Every framework starts with a small program then it keeps evolving with the time. Initially you should not worry, requirements will keep coming and your framework will keep getting better and better.

Q 3. Various opportunities to learn Today (track driven)?

There was a time when we were having very limited opportunities to learn but today there are N number of opportunities to learn like youtube (best medium to learn for free), udemy and lots of amazing blogs like TestProject Blog’s for Community etc.

Q 4. What are the current automation market trends looking for?

This is a very frequently asked query. Actually It keep changing with the time. There is no straight forward answer for it but looking at today’s market when a company says they have an opening for automation they actually mean is that they are looking for a candidate who has knowledge on web automation, API automation and dev ops as well in sort “Full Stack Automation engineer they call it.” :D

Q 5. And Way forward ⏩

Way forward always depends on how hard you work in your job.

For ex- Here is my career path-

Chemical Engineer ⏩ Software Engineer in Mainframe Tech ⏩ SDET in Selenium ⏩ Creator of ChroPath & Product Evangelist ⏩ Creator of SelectorsHub ⏩ …??

I must say thanks to Ayush Khanduri for encouraging me to write article.

Hope this will help many to start with automation!!

get set, go!! 🚀⚡️