QA Automation: test automation with Java, Selenium and API

Course overview

Description generated based on course syllabus and open data.

QA Automation is a practice-first structure (70% practice, 30% theory). The program covers Java, JUnit/TestNG, Selenium for Web UI, building XPath/CSS selectors, API tests in Postman, and scheduling automated runs with reports. Instructor: Volodymyr Trots, Senior Automation Engineer at Ciklum, 6+ years of experience. Approximate duration — 5 months.

QA Automation: who it fits and who it does not

Who it fits (test automation)

• Manual QA moving into test automation and formalizing Java and framework skills.
• Beginners with basic testing knowledge who need hands-on test writing.
• Developers automating regression, integration, or smoke checks.
• Engineers setting up CI for automated tests and report aggregation.

Who it does not fit

• Those not planning to use Java or JUnit/TestNG frameworks.
• Anyone expecting theory only without writing code.
• Those not ready for regular practice and maintenance of test suites.

QA Automation: problem → approach and outcome

• Problem: Manual regression is time-consuming. → Approach: build Java-based suites with JUnit/TestNG and Selenium. Outcome: batch execution with traceable reports.
• Problem: Flaky UI tests due to locators. → Approach: robust XPath/CSS and Page Object patterns. Outcome: higher stability and readability.
• Problem: Fragmented API checks. → Approach: REST coverage in Postman and automated validations. Outcome: consistent collections, clear asserts and logging.
• Problem: No regular runs. → Approach: scheduled CI executions with reporting. Outcome: transparent trends and failure history.

QA Automation versus alternatives

• Self-study: flexible but fragmented; this course provides a cohesive plan and practical tasks for one stack.
• Manual QA only: simpler start yet lacking systematic checks; automation covers regression and integration scenarios.
• Other languages (Python/JS): relevant, but this program focuses on the Java ecosystem with JUnit/TestNG and Selenium.

Learning outcomes in QA Automation

• OOP understanding and Java essentials for writing automated tests.
• JUnit/TestNG usage: fixtures, parametrization, test suite structure.
• Web UI automation with Selenium, stable XPath/CSS, Page Object.
• API testing in Postman: collections, environment variables, assertions, exports.
• Scheduling automated runs in CI and collecting reports.
• Portfolio project with a testing algorithm for a real product.

QA Automation curriculum

Java and OOP

• Java syntax, data types, collections, exceptions, OOP principles.

Testing frameworks

• JUnit/TestNG: lifecycle, parameters, categorization, assertions.

Web UI: Selenium

• XPath/CSS locators, Page Object, test stabilization, screenshots and logging.

API: Postman

• REST, requests and checks, collections, variables, reporting.

CI, scheduling, reporting

• Automated executions, result aggregation, notifications.

Portfolio project

• Scenario design, UI/API coverage, reporting setup.

QA Automation instructor

Volodymyr Trots — Senior Automation Engineer (Ciklum) with 6+ years in Java-based test automation. Ex-SoftServe and EPAM, mentoring experience, contributor to Selenium framework workstreams, tested web services in US accounting and tax domain, delivered Low-code/No-code, mobile and IoT projects, with performance and security testing practice.