QA Automation Testing Interview Questions For 2025

QA Automation Interview Questions: Before Quality Assurance (QA) automation, manual testing was done using some tech that reduced repetition. With QA automation, we can use separate software to smoothly and quickly run tests on the software we’re developing. In this article, we’ll explore some QA automation interview questions to help you prepare for your tech interviews!

QA Automation Testing Interview Questions and Answers

Let us jump right into some sample QA automation testing interview questions and answers to get an idea of what to expect in QA automation interview questions:

Q1. When should we prefer to automate a test?

We should prefer to automate a test if:

• It’s a repetitive task
• We need to run the tests with multiple data sets
• There are regression test cases or smoke and sanity tests that warrant it
• After automation, the ROI (Return on Investment) is good enough for us to do so.

Q2. When should we prefer not to automate a test?

We should prefer not to automate if:

• The application we need to test changes frequently
• Most test cases are one-time test cases
• There’s Adhoc or random testing

Q3. What are the primary features of a quality automation tool?

This is one of the most commonly asked QA testing interview questions and you should understand the features that a good automation tool should have: Some of them are:

• Test Environment support
• Easy to use
• Good debugging facility
• Multiple frameworks support
• Object and Image testing facilities
• Robust object identification
• Object identification
• Database testing

Q4:  What are the four framework types used in software automation testing?

The four types of automation frameworks used in software automation testing are: 

1. Keyword-driven: An extension of the data-driven testing framework that fetches test data from an external source and securely holds the set of codes. These codes also popularly known as keywords are used to modify the test script to produce probable results from the test framework.
2. Data-driven: In a data-driven testing framework, testers can store and pass input/ output parameters to test scripts from an external data source.
3. Modular Testing: This framework requires having various modules, through which the framework has to run and there has to be segregation of test scripts for all modules and associate with them to create test cases on the application.
4. Hybrid Testing: A hybrid testing framework is a combination of a data-driven testing framework and a keyword-driven testing framework that allows more scope to raise productivity and attain better success.

Q5. What are the steps involved in the Automation Process?

The automation process steps include:

• Test tool selection
• Automation scope definition
• Planning
• Design
• Development
• Test execution
• Maintenance

Q6. Why do we need QA automation?

QA automation makes automating routine tasks and executing test cases multiple times, on multiple devices, at a large scale easily doable. It also makes a QA team far more efficient and powerful.

Q7. Should every test be automated?

Not everything should be automated. Automation is very efficient for repetitive, stable, and high-risk test cases, but other tests, such as those that involve human judgment or are exploratory, are generally better left to be manual. Project complexity, team capacity, and the frequency of tests also come into play. A good testing strategy balances automated and manual testing to ensure quality without over-investing in automation.

Q8. Explain what is automated regression testing.

Automated regression testing is the rerunning of pre-existing automated tests after software changes to ensure that existing functionalities are not affected. Especially when it happens more frequently in agile environments, automation enables faster, more consistent test execution than through manual regression testing. Issues can be detected early using automated regression tests, thereby preserving application stability since it catches some of the unintended consequences of new code.

Q9. What is a test automation pyramid?

The test automation pyramid is a framework that outlines the distribution of automation to achieve the maximum possible coverage with an optimal number of automated tests. It supports high numbers of unit tests at the bottom, which are faster and cheaper to be automated. It places integration tests in the middle and fewer UI tests at the top since these can be complex and more expensive to maintain. This structure invites easy feedback and reduces maintenance overhead​.

Q10. What is an automation testing framework?

An automation testing framework is an organized collection of guidelines and tools having actual practices used to support test automation. It mainly includes a library, methods of dealing with data and reporting tools that help teams in developing, executing, and maintaining automated test scripts in the most efficient manner. A few of the most commonly known frameworks are Selenium, JUnit, and TestNG. All these help in creating a standard process, consistency, and reduced setup efforts across numerous projects.

QA Automation Engineer Interview Questions

Here are some QA automation engineer interview questions. You can use these questions to test your preparedness and brush up on some basic concepts.

1. Name and describe the different components of Selenium.
2. What are some challenges associated with Selenium automation?
3. How would you manage GIT versions between two teams?
4. Name some alternatives to Selenium.
5. Name the test library APIs in the Robot Framework.
6. What are the developmental best practices in test automation?
7. Describe the steps involved in the Automation Process.
8. Can App Testing be done exclusively at the UI levels?
9. Who should be responsible for test automation?
10. Can you explain what is UI testing?

QA Automation Tester Interview Questions

Here are some sample QA automation tester interview questions to practice.

1. Describe the stages in an Automation Testing Life Cycle
2. Why do we need Automation Testing?
3. Should all tests be Automated?
4. Describe the risks associated with Automation Testing.
5. Is Automation Testing useful in Agile Methodology?
6. Is Automation Testing possible without a framework?
7. Describe different types of Testing Frameworks.
8. How will you decide on an Automation Testing Solution?
9. Name the main features of a quality Automation Testing Solution.
10. When is Automation Testing not useful in Agile Methodology?
11. In the future, will Automated Testing replace Manual Testing?
12. Describe the structure of a Test Automation Framework and talk about its important modules.
13. When does one need to automate a test?
14. Using what factors would you determine the effectiveness of Automation Testing?
15. How do you know which test cases can be automated and when to avoid Automated Testing?
16. Name some disadvantages of Manual Testing.
17. Explain what is Continuous Integration and its relevance to automated testing.
18. Describe an instance where you would do manual testing instead of automated testing, despite having an environment for automated testing.
19. How do you maintain and update automated test scripts in case of frequent changes in the application?
20. How do you handle flaky tests in automation?

QA Automation Testing Coding Interview Questions    

1. What are some common testing frameworks you have used in your automation experience?
2. Difference between unit testing and integration testing.
3. How do you handle dynamic content on a web page when writing test cases?
4. How do you handle exceptions and errors in your automated test scripts?
5. How do you integrate your automated tests with a continuous integration system?
6. What is the difference between a test plan and a test strategy?
7. Explain the Page Object Model (POM) and how it can be used in automation testing.
8. How do you ensure that your test scripts are maintainable and reusable?
9. How do you handle browser compatibility issues in your automation tests?
10. When does a tester prefer manual testing over automation testing?
11. Who is responsible for test automation among developers and the QA?
12. What are the different elements of Selenium?
13. What’s the use of Protractor?
14. What are some test library APs provided by the Robot Framework?
15. What are some common risks associated with automated testing?
16. What do you understand by CAPTCHA?
17. How can you automate the testing of CAPTCHA?
18. Name the environment supported by QTP
19. What are some limitations of Selenium IDE?
20. What are some XPath Axes?

QA Automation Interview Questions on Architecture

1. Give one and just one sufficient test case to determine that a white paper is a white paper.
2. How would you test a blender?
3. How would you test a toaster?
4. A 1-mile x 1-mile private island needs to be turned into a resort. A plane requires a 2-mile long runway to take off. What would you do?
5. In a corridor with 100 lockers, Ana passes the first time and opens each locker. Then she passes the second time and closes each alternate locker. She then passes the third time and toggles the state of each third locker, then passes each fourth locker again, and so on. How many lockers will be open at the end, if this repeats 100 times? 

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FAQs: QA Automation Interview Questions

Q1. What is automation testing in QA?

In Quality Assurance, automation testing refers to running tests on the software we’re developing with the help of automation testing tools and reporting the results. Automation testing makes many time-consuming tasks that otherwise would have been done by manual testers far more efficient.

Q2. How do I become a QA automation Tester?

To become a QA automation tester, you need to: Master the basics of testing, including manual testing. Experiment with and get experience using different automation testing tools. Learn to code both concepts and practice to a decent level. Learn the ATLC methodology and learn how to efficiently understand any new applications.

Q3. What are the most popular tools for QA automation testing?

Some of the most popular test tools for QA automation testing are: Rational Robot, Selenium, and QTP (HP UFT)

Q4. Is automation a promising career?

For someone who has technical skills and wants to pursue a career in the tech field, automation engineering can potentially be good to understand any new applications efficiently career choice if they keep upgrading their skills and experience over time.

Q5. Who earns more, a developer or a tester?

The average initial salary of a software developer has been significantly more than the initial average salary of a tester in the past and now. We can say that clearly shows that initially, an average developer earns more than an average tester.

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