500+ Senior Test Engineer Interview Questions and Answers

Agile methodologies are iterative approaches to software development that prioritize flexibility and collaboration.

• Agile methodologies involve breaking down projects into smaller, manageable tasks called user stories.

• Key agile ceremonies include daily stand-up meetings, sprint planning meetings, sprint reviews, and sprint retrospectives.

• Daily stand-up meetings are brief check-ins where team members discuss what they worked on yesterday, what they plan to work on today, and an...read more

There are five aggregate functions available in SQL: COUNT, SUM, AVG, MIN, and MAX.

• COUNT: Returns the number of rows that match a specified condition.

• SUM: Calculates the sum of a set of values.

• AVG: Calculates the average of a set of values.

• MIN: Returns the minimum value in a set of values.

• MAX: Returns the maximum value in a set of values.

Java program to find duplicate elements in string using an array

• Create an array to store characters

• Loop through the string and check if the character is already in the array

• If it is, then it is a duplicate

• Print out the duplicate characters

Retrieve the highest stock price from a dynamic web table using web scraping techniques.

• Use a web scraping library like BeautifulSoup (Python) or Selenium for dynamic content.

• Identify the table structure in the HTML to locate stock names and prices.

• Extract stock prices and convert them to a comparable format (e.g., float).

• Iterate through the extracted data to find the maximum price and its corresponding stock name.

• Example: If using Selenium, locate elements with XPath or CSS ...read more

Transformation refers to the process of changing or converting something from one form to another.

• Transformation can occur in various fields such as technology, business, and personal development.

• Examples of transformation include digital transformation, organizational transformation, and personal transformation.

• Transformation often involves a significant change in mindset, processes, and systems.

• Successful transformation requires careful planning, communication, and executio...read more

TestNG annotations are used to control the flow of test methods and provide additional information about the test methods.

• TestNG annotations are used to mark methods as test methods, setup methods, teardown methods, etc.

• Examples of TestNG annotations include @Test, @BeforeMethod, @AfterMethod, @BeforeClass, @AfterClass, @BeforeSuite, @AfterSuite, etc.

• TestNG framework is a testing framework inspired by JUnit and NUnit, but introduces some new functionalities like grouping, par...read more

XPaths are used to locate elements on a website by defining the path of the element in the HTML structure.

• XPaths can be used to locate elements based on their attributes, such as id, class, name, etc.

• Absolute XPaths start with a single forward slash (/) and specify the complete path from the root element.

• Relative XPaths start with a double forward slash (//) and specify the path from the current node.

• Example: //input[@id='username'] - locates an input element with id 'usernam...read more

100% test coverage is not possible, but we can aim for maximum coverage by prioritizing tests and using automation.

• Prioritize tests based on risk and criticality

• Use automation to cover repetitive and time-consuming tests

• Perform code reviews to ensure all code paths are covered

• Continuously monitor and update test suite

• Collaborate with developers to ensure all changes are tested

• Use tools like code coverage analysis to identify gaps in test coverage

Data encapsulation is the concept of bundling data with the methods that operate on that data within a class.

• Data encapsulation helps in hiding the internal state of an object and restricting access to it.

• It allows for better control over the data by preventing external code from directly modifying it.

• Encapsulation also helps in achieving data abstraction, where the internal details of an object are hidden and only the necessary information is exposed.

• For example, in a class ...read more

Creating a BDD login scenario with DataTables involves defining scenarios and implementing step definitions for data-driven testing.

• Define a feature file with a scenario outline for login.

• Use DataTables to pass multiple sets of login credentials.

• Example: Given I have the following login details: | username | password |

• Implement step definitions to handle the DataTable input.

• Use assertions to verify successful or failed login based on credentials.

Questions related to manual testing, Scrum ceremonies, Cypress commands, and basics of JS.

• Regression testing is retesting of previously tested functionality to ensure that changes or fixes have not introduced new defects.

• Retesting is testing of a previously failed test case after the defect has been fixed.

• Creating bugs intentionally is not a good practice. However, one can create test scenarios that have a high probability of finding defects.

• Scrum ceremonies include Sprint Pl...read more

ALIAS command in SQL is used to give a table or column a temporary name.

• ALIAS command is used to create a temporary name for a table or column in a SQL query

• It is often used to make the SQL query more readable and concise

• ALIAS can be used for tables (e.g. SELECT * FROM employees AS e) or columns (e.g. SELECT emp_id AS employee_id FROM employees)

Program to find second highest number in an array of strings.

• Convert strings to integers

• Sort the array in descending order

• Return the second element

Implementing OOP concepts in automation enhances code reusability, maintainability, and scalability in test engineering.

• Encapsulation: Use classes to encapsulate test data and methods, e.g., a 'TestCase' class that holds test steps and results.

• Inheritance: Create a base test class with common setup and teardown methods, e.g., 'BaseTest' class for shared functionality.

• Polymorphism: Use method overriding to customize test execution, e.g., 'executeTest()' method in derived class...read more

To test a smoke detector, use smoke or a smoke spray. To test a thermometer, use ice water and boiling water.

• For smoke detector, use smoke or a smoke spray to check if it triggers the alarm

• For thermometer, use ice water and boiling water to check if it shows accurate temperature readings

• Ensure the smoke detector and thermometer are calibrated properly

• Check the battery life of the smoke detector

• Check the accuracy of the thermometer against a known standard

• For a digital thermom...read more

A bug is a coding error that causes unexpected behavior. A defect is a deviation from the expected behavior.

• A bug is a mistake made by a programmer while writing code.

• A defect is a problem with the software that causes it to behave differently than expected.

• Bugs can be fixed by correcting the code, while defects require a deeper analysis of the software.

• Examples of bugs include syntax errors, logical errors, and runtime errors.

• Examples of defects include incorrect calculation...read more

n-1 in agile refers to the number of testers required to test a feature, where n is the total number of testers.

• n-1 is a formula used to determine the number of testers needed to test a feature in agile development.

• It means that one tester less than the total number of testers is required to test a feature.

• For example, if there are 5 testers in a team, then n-1 would mean that 4 testers are required to test a feature.

• This approach ensures that there is enough coverage and col...read more

The program removes duplicates from a given string using a Set data structure.

• Create a LinkedHashSet to maintain the order of characters while removing duplicates

• Iterate through each character in the input string and add it to the set

• Convert the set back to a string and return the result

A program to find the occurrence of characters in a given string.

• Create an empty dictionary to store the character count.

• Loop through each character in the string.

• If the character is already in the dictionary, increment its count.

• If the character is not in the dictionary, add it with a count of 1.

• Return the dictionary with character counts.

SQL query to find the 3rd highest salary.

• Use the ORDER BY clause to sort the salaries in descending order.

• Use the LIMIT clause to limit the result to the third row.

• Use a subquery to exclude the top two salaries.

• Example: SELECT salary FROM employees ORDER BY salary DESC LIMIT 2,1;

HP-QC allows for efficient test case management, execution, and defect logging in software testing.

• To upload test cases, navigate to the Test Plan module, select the appropriate folder, and use the 'Import' feature to upload from Excel.

• Execute test cases by going to the Test Lab module, selecting the test set, and clicking on 'Run' to start execution.

• Defect logging can be done in the Defects module by clicking 'New Defect', filling in the required fields, and linking it to th...read more

I have encountered exceptions like NoSuchElementException, ElementNotVisibleException, TimeoutException, StaleElementReferenceException, and InvalidSelectorException.

• NoSuchElementException occurs when an element could not be found in the DOM.

• ElementNotVisibleException is thrown when an element is present in the DOM but not visible on the page.

• TimeoutException is raised when a command does not complete in the specified time.

• StaleElementReferenceException occurs when the elemen...read more

I have used Jira, Bugzilla, and HP Quality Center for defect tracking in my projects.

• Jira

• Bugzilla

• HP Quality Center

BDD stands for Behavior Driven Development, a software development methodology that focuses on collaboration and communication between stakeholders.

• BDD involves defining the behavior of a system in plain language

• Tests are written in a way that they can be understood by non-technical stakeholders

• BDD frameworks like Cucumber and SpecFlow help in automating tests based on the defined behavior

• BDD helps in ensuring that the software being developed meets the requirements and expec...read more

I would analyze the defect, prioritize it based on severity, communicate with the development team, and work on fixing it promptly.

• Analyze the defect to understand the root cause

• Prioritize the defect based on severity and impact on the customer

• Communicate with the development team to discuss the defect and potential solutions

• Work on fixing the defect promptly to ensure customer satisfaction

Implementing data-driven testing enhances flexibility and reusability in test automation frameworks.

• Utilize external data sources like CSV, Excel, or databases to drive test inputs.

• Create a data provider method that reads data from these sources and feeds it into test cases.

• Example: In a Selenium test, use a data provider to supply different user credentials for login tests.

• Implement parameterization in your test scripts to allow dynamic input of test data.

• Example: Use TestNG...read more

Different types of exceptions include checked, unchecked, runtime, and custom exceptions.

• Checked exceptions are checked at compile time and must be handled using try-catch or throws keyword.

• Unchecked exceptions are not checked at compile time and can be handled using try-catch or left unhandled.

• Runtime exceptions are unchecked exceptions that occur at runtime, such as NullPointerException or ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException.

• Custom exceptions are user-defined exceptions that ext...read more