How to Learn Web Test Automation in a Matter of Hours?

Yes, it is not only possible. Most of the attendants to my one-day training achieved this for over ten years.

By Zhimin ZhanPublished 6 months ago • 3 min read

This is an abridged version of my Medium article (2023-11-08)

Only a few hours to learn web test automation? Yes. Let’s be clear with the definition of ‘learned’ first. Learn ≠ Master.

A Metaphor: learning to drive won’t take long, maybe just a couple of hours for a newbie to drive the car in an empty car park. Of course, that’s no enough to pass the driving test. Still requires many days of practice. However, most people can learn the fundmentals of driving in a short time.
There is always a different levels in any skill. Practice is always required to move up levels.
E2E test automation skill, like car-driving, fits in very-easy-and-very-quick-to-learn category, if under proper guidance.

If, after learning for a few hours, a student can write simple but good-quality user-login and sign-up automated tests independently at work (for real use), I consider it a successful learning (fulfilling the claim: learn web test automation in hours), as this beginner, besides producing useful outcome with newly-learned skills, has a good level of confidence and inspiration for further improvement. Regardless of skills, continuous learning and practice are always required for any serious learner.

A Few Hours, Really?

I know most people will agree with the above in principle but remain doubtful about "a matter of hours". Maybe only for people with experience? No, there is no prerequisite at all. If there is, only one: can browse websites (which every primary school student can).

Sound unbelievable? It is true. I have verified with my daughter (age 12) and many manual testers who attended my one-day training. If you follow the resources in the article, you probably can verify that with yourself (taking the factors without me being the instructor for you), today.

One graphic designer, after attending my training, was quite excited. He told me, "Your training style is like the Michel Thomas Method". I never heard of it before. After some research, I could see his points. The Michel-Thomas Method, based on my understanding, is using a series of well-designed & related (means using just learned) exercises to introduce new words and grammar.

Compared to a new language, learning web test automation is easier, as it is more hands-on and satisfying, under proper coaching.

Basic Knowledge of Learning Web Test Automation

For a complete beginner, Web Test Automation means we write automated scripts to drive the controls, e.g. Link or Button, on web pages in a browser for testing purposes. No need to explain the web. The keyword here is "automated script".

In other words, we learn how to write automated scripts. There are four factors that would determine the effectiveness of learning:

Good Automation Framework

Choose a feature-complete and super-reliable automation framework with well-thought (better, a W3C standard) and consistent syntax. Don't follow the hypes.

Simple Test Syntax Framework

Test syntax framework, e.g. JUnit or RSpec, provides the structure and assertions. That's all, don't over-complicate it. Gherkin-style test syntax frameworks, e.g. Cucumber or SpecFlow, are bad examples.

Tool

A good tool is lowering the threshold, easing the learning curve and significantly enhancing productivity.

Hands-on Exercises

Test Automation is super hands-on. Watching tutorial videos and reading books is not useful unless you practice a lot.

My Teaching Secrets

Many people (including software engineers) found test automation hard to learn. The №1 reason was using a wrong choice in either of the following: automation framework, syntax framework, scripting language or tool. For learners, there is another possible bad choice: the wrong instructor/course. Even one mistake can jeopardise learning. Sadly, most test automation engineers commonly make 3+ wrong decisions.

Below are my secret ingredients: