Top 15+ Python Automation Interview Questions and Answers

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Python automation is a key skill for developers, testers, and DevOps professionals. If you are applying for roles in these fields, expect automation-related questions in your interview. This blog covers 15+ commonly asked Python automation interview questions with detailed answers to help you prepare. 

Learn key concepts, best practices, and practical examples to boost your confidence and increase your chances of success.

Python Automation Interview Questions for Freshers

Here are some common Python automation interview questions and answers for freshers: 

1. What is automation in Python, and how is it used in testing?

Automation in Python refers to using scripts to handle repetitive tasks, such as testing, data processing, and web scraping. In testing, Python automation is used to write scripts that interact with applications, verify expected behaviour, and generate reports. Frameworks like Selenium, pytest, and unittest help automate functional and regression testing.

2. What are some popular Python libraries for automation?

Some widely used Python libraries for automation include:

• Selenium – Web automation
• PyAutoGUI – GUI automation
• Requests – API testing and web scraping
• pytest – Automated testing framework
• unittest – Built-in testing framework
• Robot Framework – Keyword-driven test automation

Also Read - Top 20 Robot Framework Interview Questions and Answers

3. How do you read and write files in Python during automation?

Python provides the open() function to read and write files.

• Reading a file:

with open(“file.txt”, “r”) as file:

    content = file.read()

print(content)

• Writing to a file:

with open(“file.txt”, “w”) as file:

    file.write(“This is a test.”)

4. What is the difference between manual testing and automation testing?

This is one of the most important Python test automation interview questions. 

Manual testing requires human intervention to execute test cases, whereas automation testing uses scripts to perform tests. Automation testing is faster, more reliable, and suitable for regression testing, while manual testing is better for exploratory and usability testing.

Python Automation Interview Questions for Experienced

Let’s go through interview questions on Python automation for experienced candidates:

5. How do you handle dynamic elements in automation scripts?

Dynamic elements change frequently, making them hard to locate. Handling them involves:

• Using explicit waits with WebDriverWait to wait for elements to load.
• Using XPath functions like contains() or starts-with().
• Identifying elements using CSS selectors or relative XPath.

6. How do you manage test data in Python automation?

Test data can be managed by:

• Storing data in CSV, JSON, or Excel files and reading them using Pandas.
• Using environment variables for credentials.
• Storing test data in a database and retrieving it via queries.
• Using fixtures in pytest for reusable test data.

7. What is parameterization in automation testing, and how do you implement it in Python?

Parameterization helps run the same test with different inputs. In pytest, it is done using @pytest.mark.parametrize:

import pytest

@pytest.mark.parametrize(“input,expected”, [(2, 4), (3, 9), (4, 16)])

def test_square(input, expected):

    assert input ** 2 == expected

8. How do you integrate Python automation tests with CI/CD pipelines?

This is one of the most common Python interview questions for automation testing for 3 years experienced candidates. 

Python automation tests can be integrated with Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI/CD by:

• Writing test scripts using pytest or unittest.
• Creating a requirements.txt file for dependencies.
• Adding a test execution step in the CI/CD pipeline.
• Using pytest –junitxml=report.xml to generate test reports.

Advanced Python Interview Questions for Automation

9. What are fixtures in pytest, and how do they help in automation testing?

Fixtures in pytest provide a setup and teardown mechanism for test functions. They help initialize test data, database connections, or browser sessions.

Example:

import pytest

@pytest.fixture

def sample_data():

    return {“name”: “Test”, “age”: 25}

def test_data(sample_data):

    assert sample_data[“age”] == 25

10. How do you handle parallel test execution in Python automation?

Parallel execution is handled using pytest-xdist. 

To run tests in parallel:

pytest -n 4  # Runs tests in 4 parallel threads

11. How do you handle exceptions in Python automation scripts?

You might also come across Python QA automation interview questions like this one. 

Exception handling is done using try-except:

try:

    element = driver.find_element(By.ID, “nonexistent”)

except NoSuchElementException:

    print(“Element not found”)

Python Automation Testing Interview Questions

Here is a list of Python interview questions for automation testing and their answers. 

12. What is the role of a virtual environment in Python automation?

This is one of the most common interview questions for Python automation testing. 

A virtual environment helps create isolated environments for dependencies, preventing conflicts between projects.

To create and activate a virtual environment:

python -m venv myenv

source myenv/bin/activate  # macOS/Linux

myenv\Scripts\activate  # Windows

13. How do you generate test reports in Python automation frameworks?

• pytest-html: Generates HTML reports.

pytest –html=report.html

• Allure: Provides detailed reports with logs.

pytest –alluredir=./allure-results

14. How do you handle API testing using Python automation?

Use the requests library:

import requests

response = requests.get(“https://api.example.com/data”)

assert response.status_code == 200

print(response.json())

It helps validate API responses.

15. Write a Python script to check if a webpage contains a specific text.

You might also come across Python coding interview questions for automation testing like this one. 

from selenium import webdriver

driver = webdriver.Chrome()

driver.get(“https://example.com”)

if “Expected Text” in driver.page_source:

    print(“Text found!”)

else:

    print(“Text not found!”)

driver.quit()

This script verifies webpage content.

Also Read - Top 40+ Java Automation Testing Interview Questions and Answers

Python Selenium Interview Questions

Here are some common Python Selenium interview questions and answers:

16. What are the different types of locators in Selenium, and when should you use them?

• ID: Fastest, use if the element has a unique ID.
• Name: Use if multiple elements don’t share the same name.
• XPath: Flexible, but slower than ID.
• CSS Selector: Fast and reliable for most cases.
• Class Name: Use when elements have unique class names.

17. How do you handle alerts and pop-ups in Selenium using Python?

Use the switch_to.alert method:

alert = driver.switch_to.alert

alert.accept()  # Click OK

alert.dismiss()  # Click Cancel

18. What is the difference between implicit wait and explicit wait in Selenium?

• Implicit Wait: Waits for a defined time for all elements.

driver.implicitly_wait(10)

• Explicit Wait: Waits until a specific condition is met.

from selenium.webdriver.support.ui import WebDriverWait

from selenium.webdriver.support import expected_conditions as EC

WebDriverWait(driver, 10).until(EC.presence_of_element_located((By.ID, “element_id”)))

Explicit wait is preferred for dynamic elements.

Note: Python Selenium interview questions often include topics like web automation, locators, waits, exceptions, and best practices.

Also Read - Top 25+ Java Questions for Selenium Interview

Company-Specific Python Automation Interview Questions

Capgemini Python Automation Interview Questions

1. What is Method Overriding in Python?
2. What is the Page Object Model (POM) in Selenium, and how do you implement it?
3. How do you handle file uploads using Selenium in Python?

HCL Python Automation Interview Questions

1. How would you create an automated script to test an e-commerce checkout process?
2. How do you automate database testing using Python?
3. How do you stay updated with new automation technologies?

TCS Python Automation Interview Questions

1. How do you handle CAPTCHA or reCAPTCHA in automation testing?
2. How do you integrate Selenium tests with Jenkins?
3. How do you validate an API response in automation testing using Python?

Also Read - Top 45 Quality Assurance Interview Questions and Answers

Wrapping Up

So, these are the top Python automation interview questions and answers to help you prepare for your next interview. Understanding these concepts will improve your chances of success.Looking for Python automation jobs in India? Visit Hirist, a leading job portal where you can find the best IT jobs, including automation roles.