Top 70+ Automation Testing Interview Questions and Answers

270

Struggling to prepare for your automation testing interview? Many candidates find it tricky when interviewers go beyond tool names and ask about real-world challenges, scripting efficiency, and problem-solving skills. That’s why a good understanding of key concepts and hands-on experience matters. This guide brings you 70+ automation testing interview questions with expert answers to help you explain your approach clearly and confidently. These questions will help you prepare better. 

Fun Fact: According to AmbitionBox, the salary of an Automation Tester in India ranges from ₹2.5 Lakhs to ₹9.1 Lakhs for professionals with 1 to 5 years of experience.

Basic Automation Testing Interview Questions

Here is a list of basic automation testing interview questions and answers: 

1. What is automation testing, and how does it differ from manual testing?

Automation testing involves using software tools to execute test cases instead of performing them manually. It helps in repetitive tasks, increases test coverage, and reduces human errors. 

Manual testing, on the other hand, requires human effort to validate software functionality without the use of scripts. While manual testing is best for exploratory and usability testing, automation is preferred for regression and performance testing.

2. When would you choose to automate a test case?

A test case should be automated when:

• It is repetitive and needs frequent execution.
• The test involves large datasets (data-driven testing).
• It is time-consuming when done manually.
• The test is stable, meaning the application functionality doesn’t change often.
• It involves critical business functionalities that must be verified regularly.

3. Can you describe the components of a typical test automation framework?

A test automation framework consists of:

• Test scripts – The actual test cases written in a programming language or script.
• Test data – Input values used for execution (e.g., CSV, Excel, databases).
• Test library – A collection of reusable functions for common actions.
• Driver scripts – Scripts that control test execution flow.
• Reporting mechanism – Logs and reports to analyze test results.
• Integration tools – CI/CD, version control, and defect tracking tools for better workflow.

4. What are the benefits and drawbacks of automation testing?

Benefits:

• Faster execution and reduced testing time.
• Increased test accuracy by removing human errors.
• Supports parallel execution, saving time.
• Useful for load and performance testing.

Drawbacks:

• High initial investment in tools and script development.
• Requires programming knowledge.
• Can be challenging to maintain if the application changes frequently.

5. What are the key features of a good automation framework?

This is one of the most common automation framework interview questions: 

A good automation framework should be:

• Modular: Components should be reusable and independent.
• Scalable: It should support new test cases without major modifications.
• Data-driven: Allows testing with different data sets.
• Integration-ready: Works well with CI/CD pipelines and other tools.
• Detailed reporting: Generates logs and reports for analysis.
• Error-handling mechanisms: Can identify and recover from failures.

Also Read - Top 75+ Manual Testing Interview Questions and Answers

Automation Testing Interview Questions for Freshers

Here are the most-asked automation testing interview questions with answers for freshers:

6. What are the different types of automation testing?

• Functional Testing: Verifies if the software behaves as expected.
• Regression Testing: Ensures new updates don’t break existing features.
• Performance Testing: Checks response time and stability.
• Load Testing: Simulates multiple users to test system limits.
• API Testing: Validates backend services using tools like Postman or REST Assured.

7. How do you select a test case for automation?

• Frequently executed test cases.
• Test cases with large datasets.
• Stable test cases with predictable outcomes.
• High-risk areas that require continuous testing.

8. Can you explain the difference between data-driven and keyword-driven frameworks?

• Data-driven Framework: Uses external data sources (Excel, databases) to execute the same test case with multiple inputs.
• Keyword-driven Framework: Uses predefined keywords to define actions, making it easier for non-programmers to create test cases.

9. What is a test script, and how do you create one?

A test script is a set of instructions written in an automation tool to perform actions on an application. It includes steps like launching a browser, entering data, and verifying results. A test script is created using automation tools like Selenium, Appium, or UFT, combined with programming languages like Python, Java, or C#.

10. How do you handle exceptions in automation testing?

Exceptions can be handled using:

• Try-Catch blocks to handle runtime errors.
• Explicit waits to handle synchronization issues.
• Error logging mechanisms to capture and report failures.
• Retries to reattempt failed tests under certain conditions.

Also Read - Top 45+ Functional Testing Interview Questions and Answers

Automation Software Testing Interview Questions for Experienced 

Let’s go through some important automation interview questions for experienced candidates: 

11. How do you integrate automation testing into a CI/CD pipeline?

Automation testing is integrated into CI/CD using tools like Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI. Test scripts are triggered automatically whenever a developer commits code, allowing early detection of defects. Reports are generated after execution, and failures can be logged in a defect tracking tool.

12. Can you discuss a challenging automation project you’ve worked on and how you addressed the challenges?

“In one project, I had to automate a web application with dynamic elements. The main challenge was handling elements whose attributes changed frequently. 

I solved this by implementing XPath with dynamic attributes and using wait conditions to allow elements to load properly before interacting with them. Additionally, I modularized the test scripts, making maintenance easier when UI changes occurred.”

13. What strategies do you use to maintain and update test scripts as the application evolves?

• Using Page Object Model (POM) to separate test scripts from UI elements.
• Regularly updating test locators when UI changes occur.
• Implementing version control (Git) to track changes.
• Running smoke tests after each deployment to identify breakages early.

14. How do you measure the success of your automation efforts?

• Test coverage: The percentage of test cases automated.
• Execution time: Whether automation reduces testing time.
• Defect detection rate: How many defects are caught before production.
• Maintenance effort: How often scripts need updates.

15. Can you explain the concept of parallel test execution in automation?

Parallel test execution allows running multiple test cases simultaneously across different environments or browsers. This speeds up testing and improves efficiency. Tools like Selenium Grid, TestNG, and Cypress support parallel execution by distributing tests across multiple machines or containers.

Also Read - Top 20 Cypress Interview Questions and Answers

Automation Testing Interview Questions for 1 Year Experience

16. What motivated you to pursue a career in automation testing?​ 
17. Describe a situation where you had to learn a new tool or technology quickly.​ 
18. What are the primary challenges in automation testing?​

Automation Testing Interview Questions for 2 Years Experienced

19. How have your automation skills evolved over the past two years?​ 
20. Describe a time when you identified a critical bug through automation.​
21. What factors do you consider when choosing an automation tool?

Automation Testing Interview Questions for 3 Years Experienced

22. What has been your most significant achievement in automation testing?​ 
23. How do you handle flaky tests in your automation suite?​ 
24. Can you explain the Page Object Model and its advantages?​ 

Automation Testing Interview Questions for 4 Years Experienced

25. How do you stay updated with the latest trends in automation testing?​ 
26. Describe a scenario where you had to convince stakeholders about the benefits of automation.​ 
27. What is continuous testing, and how does it fit into DevOps?

Also Read - Top 25+ DevOps Interview Questions and Answers

Automation Testing Interview Questions for 5 Years Experienced

28. What leadership roles have you undertaken in automation projects?​ 
29. How do you mentor junior testers in automation practices?​ 
30. Can you discuss the ROI of automation testing in your previous projects?

Automation Testing Interview Questions for 6 Years Experienced

31. How do you approach test automation for legacy systems?​ 
32. Describe a time when you had to adapt your automation strategy due to project changes.​ 
33. What are the best practices for maintaining an automation suite?

Automation Testing Interview Questions for 8 Years Experienced

34. How have you contributed to the automation community or industry?​ 
35. Describe a situation where you had to integrate automation testing with other quality assurance processes.​ 
36. What metrics do you use to assess the effectiveness of automation testing?

Automation Testing Interview Questions for 10 Years Experienced

37. How do you envision the future of automation testing?​ 
38. Can you discuss a time when you had to manage conflicts within an automation team?​ 
39. What strategies do you employ to align automation testing with business objectives?

Also Read - Top 25 Spring Boot Microservices Interview Questions with Answers

Advanced Automation Software Testing Interview Questions

These are advanced software automation testing interview questions and answers: 

40. How do you implement test automation for microservices architectures?

Testing microservices requires validating individual services and their interactions. The best approach is:

• API Testing: Use REST Assured, Postman, or Karate to validate RESTful APIs.
• Contract Testing: Implement Pact to verify service communication.
• Service Isolation: Mock dependent services to test microservices independently.
• End-to-End Testing: Validate workflows across multiple services using tools like Selenium or Cypress.

Also Read - Top 50+ REST API Interview Questions and Answers

41. Can you explain the concept of service virtualization in testing?

Service virtualization allows testers to simulate dependent services that may be unavailable or difficult to test. It helps when testing APIs, databases, or third-party integrations. Tools like WireMock and Mountebank create virtual services that return predefined responses, enabling early testing without waiting for real services to be developed.

42. How do you approach testing in a continuous deployment environment?

Continuous deployment requires automated testing at every stage. This includes:

• Unit and API tests: Run immediately after code commits.
• Smoke tests: Verify key functionalities post-deployment.
• Regression tests: Execute regularly to catch unexpected failures.
• Parallel execution: Speed up testing across different browsers and environments.
• Monitoring & alerts: Identify issues in real-time using logs and dashboards.

Scenario Based Interview Questions for Automation Testing

Here are some real time scenario based questions in automation testing: 

43. How would you design an automation framework for a web application with frequently changing UI?

A stable framework should:

• Use the Page Object Model (POM) to separate UI elements from test logic.
• Implement dynamic locators using XPath or CSS selectors.
• Include self-healing scripts with AI-based tools like Testim or Mabl.
• Run visual testing with tools like Applitools to detect UI changes.

44. Describe your approach to automating a complex business workflow with multiple integrations.

For a complex workflow:

• Break it into smaller automated test modules.
• Use data-driven testing to validate different scenarios.
• Implement API testing for backend validation before UI automation.
• Use event-driven testing to trigger workflows automatically.

45. How would you handle a situation where automated tests intermittently fail due to network issues?

Intermittent failures are managed by:

• Implementing retry mechanisms to re-run failed tests.
• Using explicit waits to allow elements to load.
• Capturing network logs to debug failures.
• Running tests in stable environments to reduce flakiness.

API Automation Testing Interview Questions

Let’s cover some important REST Assured API automation testing interview questions and answers:

46. How do you validate JSON response structures using REST Assured?

Use JSON schema validation to verify API responses:

given()

    .when().get(“/users”)

    .then().assertThat()

    .body(matchesJsonSchemaInClasspath(“userSchema.json”));

This guarantees the response matches expected attributes, types, and formats.

47. Can you explain how to handle authentication mechanisms in REST Assured tests?

Authentication in REST Assured depends on the API type:

• Basic Auth: .auth().basic(“username”, “password”)
• OAuth 2.0: .auth().oauth2(“access_token”)
• API Key: .header(“Authorization”, “Bearer token”)
  These methods help securely test protected endpoints.

Note: API automation interview questions cover testing frameworks, request handling, response validation, and error handling.

QA Automation Interview Questions

Here are the common interview questions for QA automation: 

48. What is the role of a QA Automation Engineer in a development team?

A QA Automation Engineer:

• Develops and maintains automated test scripts.
• Works with developers to catch defects early.
• Integrates test automation into CI/CD pipelines.
• Analyzes test reports and logs for debugging.
• Ensures smooth automation execution across environments.

49. How do you prioritize test cases for automation?

Prioritize based on:

• Business criticality: High-risk features tested first.
• Reusability: Test cases that apply across multiple scenarios.
• Execution frequency: Tests that run often are automated.
• Complexity: Stable and predictable cases are good candidates.

Also Read - Top 35 Appium Interview Questions and Answers

Automation Engineer Interview Questions

Here are some common interview questions for automation engineers: 

50. How do you approach selecting tools for an automation project?

I choose tools based on:

• Application type: Selenium for web, Appium for mobile, REST Assured for APIs.
• Team expertise: Select tools familiar to developers and testers.
• Scalability: Ensure the tool supports parallel execution.
• Integration: Must work well with CI/CD pipelines.

51. How do you handle version control for test scripts?

This is one of the most common automation engineering interview questions.

Test scripts are managed using Git:

• Feature branches for new test cases.
• Pull requests to review code before merging.
• Tagging versions to track changes over time.
• Automated triggers to run tests on every commit.

52. How do you differentiate between a bug in the application and a failure in the test script?

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

I debug failures by:

• Checking application logs for backend issues.
• Running the test manually to see if the issue exists.
• Verifying test data to rule out incorrect inputs.
• Checking locator changes that might have caused the script to fail.

If the test fails but the application works fine, it’s a test script failure. If the issue persists manually, it’s a bug in the application.

Note: Questions for an automation engineer interview focus on frameworks, scripting, CI/CD, and troubleshooting.

Also Read - Top 70+ Selenium Interview Questions and Answers

Manager Round Interview Questions for Automation Testing

Let’s go through some commonly-asked interview questions of automation testing in manager round: 

53. How do you measure the success of an automation testing initiative?

Automation success is measured by:

• Defect detection rate: How many defects are caught before production.
• Execution time reduction: Comparing manual vs. automated test completion times.
• Test coverage: Percentage of test cases automated.
• Flakiness rate: Frequency of false positives or unstable test cases.

54. Can you describe a time when you had to justify automation testing to upper management?

“I once had to justify automation for a project with frequent UI changes. Management was hesitant due to costs. I presented data showing that automation reduced test execution time by 70% and improved defect detection. I also proposed a modular framework to minimize maintenance costs. This convinced them to approve automation for critical workflows.”

55. How do you handle conflicts between manual testers and automation engineers in a project?

• Define clear roles: Assign manual testers for exploratory testing and automation engineers for regression testing.
• Cross-training: Encourage manual testers to learn automation for better collaboration.
• Regular sync-ups: Align expectations through team meetings.
• Data-driven approach: Use metrics to highlight automation benefits.

Automation Testing Coding Interview Questions

Let’s cover some important coding interview questions of automation testing: 

56. Write a script to find broken links on a webpage using Selenium WebDriver.

from selenium import webdriver

import requests

driver = webdriver.Chrome()

driver.get(“https://example.com”)

links = driver.find_elements(“tag name”, “a”)

for link in links:

    url = link.get_attribute(“href”)

    if url:

        response = requests.head(url)

        if response.status_code >= 400:

            print(f”Broken link: {url} (Status: {response.status_code})”)

driver.quit()

57. Write a program to reverse a string without using built-in functions.

def reverse_string(s):

    reversed_str = “”

    for char in s:

        reversed_str = char + reversed_str

    return reversed_str

print(reverse_string(“Automation”))

58. How do you generate a random test data set for automation testing?

Use Python’s Faker library:

from faker import Faker

fake = Faker()

print(fake.name(), fake.email(), fake.phone_number())

Automation Testing MCQ

Here are some common automation testing interview questions in MCQ format: 

59. Which of the following is NOT a benefit of test automation?
    a) Faster execution
    b) Increased test coverage
    c) Eliminates all manual testing
    d) Reduces human errors

Answer: c) Eliminates all manual testing

60. In Selenium WebDriver, which method is used to select a value from a dropdown?
    a) selectByVisibleText()
    b) selectByIndex()
    c) selectByValue()
    d) All of the above

Answer: d) All of the above

61. What is the primary purpose of an automation framework?
    a) Writing test scripts faster
    b) Organizing and managing test cases efficiently
    c) Running tests manually
    d) Reducing the cost of manual testing

Answer: b) Organizing and managing test cases efficiently

62. Which tool is primarily used for API automation testing?
    a) JUnit
    b) Postman
    c) QTP
    d) Cucumber

Answer: b) Postman

Also Read - Top 20+ Postman Interview Questions and Answers

63. In test automation, what is a “flaky test”?
    a) A test that consistently passes
    b) A test that sometimes fails without a clear reason
    c) A test that requires manual intervention
    d) A test that does not use assertions

Answer: b) A test that sometimes fails without a clear reason

Tools-Specific Automation Testing Interview Questions

Jenkins Interview Questions for Automation Tester

You might come across Jenkins interview questions of automation testing like these: 

64. How do you configure Jenkins to run automated tests?
65. What are the key benefits of using Jenkins for test automation?

Also Read - Top 45+ Jenkins Interview Questions and Answers

UFT Automation Interview Questions

These are common UFT automation testing questions and answers: 

66. How does UFT differ from Selenium in automation testing?
67. What are the different types of objects recognized by UFT?

Maven Interview Questions for Automation Testing

Here are common Maven automation software testing interview questions: 

68. What is the role of the POM.xml file in Maven-based test automation?
69. How do you manage dependencies in a Maven project for automation testing?

Platform-Specific Automation Testing Interview Questions

C# Automation Testing Interview Questions

Here are some common C# programming interview questions for automation testing: 

70. How do you implement Selenium WebDriver with C# for test automation?
71. What are the advantages of using NUnit over MSTest for C# automation?

SQL Interview Questions for Automation Testing

72. How do you validate database changes using SQL queries in automation testing?
73. What is the role of database testing in automation, and how do you automate it?

Company-Specific Automation Testing Interview Questions

Infosys Automation Testing Interview Questions

These are common Infosys interview questions for automation testing:

1. How do you optimize test scripts to improve execution speed? 
2. What are the key challenges of cross-browser testing in automation? 
3. How do you integrate automation testing with DevOps in a large-scale environment?

TCS Automation Testing Interview Questions

Here are some frequently-asked TCS interview questions for automation testing: 

1. Explain how you would implement a test automation framework from scratch. 
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of data-driven testing? 
3. How do you handle synchronization issues in Selenium WebDriver?

EY Automation Testing Interview Questions

You might come across EY interview questions for automation testing like these: 

1. How do you manage test data in automation testing? 
2. What are the benefits of headless browser testing? 
3. Can you explain the concept of parallel execution in Selenium Grid?

Wipro Automation Testing Interview Questions

Here are some common Wipro interview questions for automation testing: 

1. How do you decide between UI automation and API automation for a project? 
2. What factors impact the maintainability of an automation framework? 
3. How do you deal with dynamic elements in web automation?

Capgemini Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. Explain the difference between test-driven development (TDD) and behavior-driven development (BDD). 
2. How do you handle exceptions in an automation test suite? 
3. What role does logging play in test automation, and how do you implement it?

Accenture Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. How do you design an automation strategy for a microservices-based application? 
2. What are the key challenges when automating mobile applications? 
3. How do you integrate test reports into CI/CD pipelines?

Also Read - Top 35+ Mobile Application Testing Interview Questions and Answers

Cognizant Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. What are the benefits of using Docker for automation testing? 
2. How do you measure the performance of automation scripts? 
3. Explain how you manage locators in a large automation project.

Also Read - Top 25+ Performance Testing Interview Questions and Answers

HCL Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. How do you handle test failures in CI/CD pipelines? 
2. What is the significance of version control in test automation? 
3. Can you explain the concept of headless browser testing and its benefits?

Hexaware Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. What factors should be considered when choosing a test automation tool? 
2. How do you create a reusable automation framework? 
3. Explain the concept of object repository in automation.

Mphasis Automation Testing Interview Question

1. What are the key considerations when automating regression tests? 
2. How do you structure your test scripts for maximum reusability? 
3. What challenges have you faced in automating large-scale applications?

Publicis Sapient Interview Questions for Automation Testing

1. How do you balance automation testing with exploratory testing? 
2. What is the role of API testing in automation? 
3. Explain how you manage test execution across different environments.

Also Read - Top 40+ API Testing Interview Questions and Answers

CGI Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. How do you select test cases for automation in an Agile project? 
2. What is your approach to handling pop-ups and alerts in Selenium? 
3. How do you debug failed test cases in automation?

Also Read - Top 25+ Agile Interview Questions and Answers

EPAM Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. What is your experience with cloud-based test automation tools? 
2. How do you handle concurrency issues in automated tests? 
3. Explain how you automate database validation in test scripts.

Nagarro Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. How do you integrate performance testing into your automation suite? 
2. What techniques do you use to reduce test script execution time? 
3. What are the advantages of using a hybrid automation framework?

Oracle Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. How do you perform database automation testing in Oracle applications? 
2. What are the key challenges in automating enterprise applications? 
3. How do you validate API responses in automation for Oracle applications?

PwC Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. How do you optimize automation scripts for large-scale enterprise applications? 
2. What role does risk-based testing play in automation? 
3. Explain how you implement role-based access testing in automation.

IBM Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. How do you handle complex data-driven test scenarios in automation? 
2. What are the best practices for test script maintenance? 
3. How do you integrate IBM RFT with other automation tools?

Tech Mahindra Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. What are the challenges of automating legacy systems? 
2. How do you decide between commercial and open-source automation tools? 
3. How do you handle UI changes in automated tests?

CitiusTech Interview Questions for Automation Testing

1. What are the key considerations when automating healthcare applications? 
2. How do you guarantee compliance testing in automation? 
3. Explain how you automate HL7-based applications.

Deutsche Bank Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. How do you handle security testing in automation? 
2. What are the key challenges in automating banking applications? 
3. How do you test authentication and authorization workflows in automation?

NTT Data Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. How do you automate end-to-end testing in a microservices architecture? 
2. What tools do you use for API automation in large-scale applications? 
3. How do you ensure test coverage for automation scripts?

OpenText Interview Questions for Automation Testing

1. How do you automate document management system testing? 
2. What are the best practices for automating workflow-based applications? 
3. How do you handle test data management in automation?

Virtusa Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. How do you integrate automation testing with Agile development? 
2. What role does AI/ML play in test automation? 
3. How do you handle flaky tests in an automation suite?

Birlasoft Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. How do you select automation tools for enterprise applications? 
2. What are the key considerations for automating SAP applications? 
3. How do you handle dynamic test data in automation?

KPMG Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. How do you guarantee compliance in test automation? 
2. What are the benefits of RPA (Robotic Process Automation) in testing? 
3. How do you perform audit-based testing in automation?

Also Read - Top 20 Robot Framework Interview Questions and Answers

MasterCard Interview Questions for Automation Testing

1. How do you automate payment gateway testing? 
2. How would you implement Page Object Model (POM) in automation testing?
3. How do you validate encryption and decryption in test automation?

Persistent Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. How do you integrate test automation with CI/CD in cloud environments? 
2. What role does containerization (Docker) play in automation testing? 
3. Explain Object-Oriented Programming concepts.

Also Read - Top 55+ Docker Interview Questions and Answers

Siemens Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. How do you approach automation testing for IoT applications? 
2. What are the challenges in automating industrial software testing? 
3. How do you ensure reliability in automation test results?

Also Read - Top 35+ IoT Interview Questions and Answers

Synechron Automation Testing Interview Questions

1. How do you implement automation testing in financial services applications? 
2. What are the best practices for automating blockchain-based applications? 
3. Write code to Automate sauce demo login functionality.

Also Read - Top 15+ Blockchain Interview Questions and Answers

Wrapping Up

These automation testing interview questions cover key concepts, real-world challenges, and coding scenarios to help you prepare effectively. And if you are looking for automation testing jobs in India, visit Hirist. Instead of searching through general job portals, Hirist offers a curated list of top tech jobs, including the best automation testing roles in India. Find the right opportunity faster!