Transitioning to automation in Testing Fundamentals - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

🧠 Conceptual

intermediate

Why automate regression tests?

Imagine you have a website that changes often. You run the same tests every time to check if old features still work. Why is automating these regression tests helpful?

A It makes tests more creative and changes test cases automatically.

B It saves time by running tests automatically and quickly after each change.

C It removes the need for any manual testing forever.

D It guarantees the software has no bugs at all.

💡 Hint

Think about repetitive tasks and how machines can help.

Automating regression tests helps save time and effort by running the same tests quickly after every change. It does not replace all manual testing or guarantee no bugs.

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Output of a simple automated test script

What will be the output of this Python test code snippet?

Testing Fundamentals

def test_sum():
    assert 2 + 2 == 4
    assert 3 + 3 == 6

try:
    test_sum()
    print('Test Passed')
except AssertionError:
    print('Test Failed')

A Test Passed

B Test Failed

C SyntaxError

D No output

💡 Hint

Check if all assertions are true.

Both assertions are true, so no error is raised and 'Test Passed' is printed.

❓ assertion

advanced

Choosing the correct assertion for UI element visibility

You want to check if a button with id 'submit-btn' is visible on the page using an automated test. Which assertion is best?

A assert element is not None

B assert element.text == 'Submit'

C assert element.get_attribute('disabled') == 'false'

D assert element.is_displayed() == True

💡 Hint

Visibility means the element can be seen and interacted with.

Checking if the element is displayed confirms visibility. Text or disabled attribute do not guarantee visibility.

🔧 Debug

advanced

Debugging a flaky automated test

An automated test sometimes fails because it tries to click a button before it appears. What is the best way to fix this?

A Remove the click step to avoid failure.

B Run the test multiple times until it passes.

C Add a wait that pauses the test until the button is visible before clicking.

D Change the button's id in the code.

💡 Hint

Think about waiting for elements in automation.

Waiting for the button to appear before clicking ensures the test does not fail due to timing issues.

❓ framework

expert

Selecting the best test framework for cross-browser automation

You need to automate tests that run on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari browsers. Which framework is best suited for this?

A Selenium WebDriver

B JUnit

C Postman

D Jest

💡 Hint

Consider frameworks that support multiple browsers for UI testing.

Selenium WebDriver supports multiple browsers for UI automation. JUnit is for Java unit tests, Postman is for API testing, and Jest is for JavaScript unit tests.

Practice

1. Why is automation testing preferred for repeated test cases?

easy

A. Because it requires more manual effort

B. Because it cannot be reused

C. Because it is slower than manual testing

D. Because it runs tests quickly and without human error

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the nature of repeated tests

   Repeated tests are often boring and time-consuming when done manually.

2. Step 2: Identify benefits of automation for repeated tests

   Automation runs tests quickly and consistently without human mistakes.

3. Final Answer:

   Because it runs tests quickly and without human error -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Automation speeds up repeated tests = B [OK]

Hint: Automation is best for fast, error-free repeated tests [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking automation needs more manual work
• Believing automation is slower than manual testing
• Assuming automation cannot be reused

2. Which of the following is the correct way to start an automation script in Python?

easy

A. def test_function():\n assert True

B. function test_function() { assert true; }

C. test_function() => { assert true }

D. start test_function() { assert true }

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct Python function syntax

   Python functions start with 'def' followed by the function name and parentheses.

2. Step 2: Check the options for Python syntax

   def test_function():\n assert True uses 'def' and a colon, which is correct Python syntax.

3. Final Answer:

   def test_function():\n assert True -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Python functions start with def = D [OK]

Hint: Python functions start with 'def' keyword and colon [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using JavaScript or other language syntax in Python
• Missing colon after function definition
• Incorrect arrow function syntax in Python

3. What will be the output of this Python test script?

def test_sum():
    total = 0
    for i in range(3):
        total += i
    assert total == 3

medium

A. SyntaxError occurs

B. Test passes successfully

C. AssertionError occurs

D. Test is skipped

Solution

1. Step 1: Calculate the sum in the loop

   Loop runs i=0,1,2; total starts at 0, then adds 0+1+2 resulting in 3.

2. Step 2: Verify the assertion total == 3

   total = 0+1+2 = 3, so assertion total == 3 is True, no error.

3. Final Answer:

   Test passes successfully -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Sum 0+1+2=3, assertion true = C [OK]

Hint: Sum range(3) is 0+1+2=3, so assertion passes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Miscounting the sum of range(3)
• Assuming assertion fails without calculation
• Confusing syntax error with logic error

4. Identify the error in this automation test snippet:

def test_login():
    username = "user"
    password = "pass"
    assert username = "user"

medium

A. Using single equals '=' instead of '==' in assertion

B. Missing parentheses in assert statement

C. Incorrect variable names

D. Password variable is unused

Solution

1. Step 1: Check the assertion syntax

   In Python, '=' is assignment, '==' is comparison. Assertion needs '==' to compare.

2. Step 2: Identify the error type

   Using '=' in assert causes SyntaxError because assignment is not allowed there.

3. Final Answer:

   Using single equals '=' instead of '==' in assertion -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Assertions need '==' for comparison = A [OK]

Hint: Use '==' in assert, not '=' [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing assignment '=' with comparison '=='
• Ignoring syntax errors in assert statements
• Thinking unused variables cause assertion errors

5. You want to automate a test that runs daily and checks if a website's homepage loads correctly. Which approach is best to start your automation?

hard

A. Manually check the homepage daily instead of automating

B. Write a complex script that tests every link on the homepage before scheduling

C. Write a simple script that opens the homepage and checks the title, then schedule it to run daily

D. Automate only after the website has no changes for a month

Solution

1. Step 1: Choose a simple test to automate first

   Starting with a simple script to check the homepage title is easy and effective.

2. Step 2: Schedule the script for daily runs

   Scheduling the script automates the daily check without manual effort.

3. Final Answer:

   Write a simple script that opens the homepage and checks the title, then schedule it to run daily -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Start simple and schedule = A [OK]

Hint: Start with simple checks before adding complexity [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to automate too many things at once
• Ignoring automation benefits and doing manual checks
• Waiting too long to start automation