QA Glossary
Automation glossary.
23 automation terms every QA engineer and SDET should know, each defined with a real-world example and an interview tip.
Browse the full QA glossaryPage Object Model (POM)The Page Object Model (POM) is a design pattern in test automation where each web page or component is represented by a class that encapsulates its elements and interactions, separating test logic from UI details.
Test FixtureA test fixture is the fixed baseline state or environment used as a starting point for test execution, including setup logic that prepares the system and teardown logic that cleans up afterward.
Test HarnessA test harness is the collection of software, tools, and configuration that enables automated tests to execute, including the test runner, assertion libraries, reporting tools, and supporting infrastructure.
Data-Driven TestingData-driven testing is a test automation approach where the same test logic is executed multiple times with different input data sets, separating test data from test scripts.
Keyword-Driven TestingKeyword-driven testing is a test automation approach where test steps are represented as keywords (action words) in a table, abstracting the underlying automation code so that non-technical testers can design and maintain tests.
Mocking vs StubbingMocking and stubbing are both techniques for replacing real dependencies with test doubles, but stubs provide canned responses to calls while mocks additionally verify that specific interactions occurred.
Code CoverageCode coverage is a metric that measures which lines, branches, or paths of source code are executed by automated tests, typically expressed as a percentage and generated by instrumentation tools.
Mutation TestingMutation testing is a technique that evaluates the quality of a test suite by introducing small, deliberate changes (mutants) to the source code and checking whether the tests detect and fail on those changes.
PlaywrightPlaywright is an open-source browser automation framework developed by Microsoft that enables reliable end-to-end testing across Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit with a single API.
SeleniumSelenium is an open-source browser automation framework that uses the WebDriver protocol to control browsers programmatically, enabling automated testing of web applications across multiple browsers and programming languages.
CypressCypress is a JavaScript-based end-to-end testing framework that runs directly inside the browser, providing real-time reloading, automatic waiting, and a visual test runner for web application testing.
GherkinGherkin is a plain-language, structured syntax for writing Behavior-Driven Development scenarios using keywords like Feature, Scenario, Given, When, Then, And, and But.
Screenplay PatternThe Screenplay Pattern is a test automation design pattern that models tests as Actors who have Abilities and perform Tasks and ask Questions, favoring composition over the inheritance-heavy Page Object Model.
Arrange-Act-Assert (AAA)Arrange-Act-Assert (AAA) is a pattern for structuring a test in three clear phases: arrange the preconditions and inputs, act by invoking the behavior under test, and assert the expected outcome.
Snapshot TestingSnapshot testing captures a serialized representation of a component's or function's output (for example, rendered UI markup) as a stored baseline, then on later runs compares the new output to the saved snapshot and flags any difference for review.
Test DoubleA test double is any object that stands in for a real dependency during testing, replacing a database, service, or collaborator with a controllable substitute so a test can run in isolation, deterministically, and fast.
Parallel TestingParallel testing is the practice of running multiple tests (or test suites) at the same time across threads, processes, or machines, rather than sequentially, to dramatically reduce total execution time.
Headless TestingHeadless testing runs browser-based tests using a browser without its visible graphical interface, executing all the real rendering and scripting in the background, which makes tests faster and well suited to CI servers that have no display.
Consumer-Driven Contract TestingConsumer-driven contract testing (CDC) is an approach where each consumer of a service defines its expectations of the provider's API as a contract, and the provider verifies it can satisfy all consumer contracts, so services can evolve independently without breaking integrations or needing full end-to-end tests.
Golden Master TestingGolden master testing (a form of characterization or approval testing) captures the current output of a system for a wide range of inputs as a trusted baseline (the "golden master"), then flags any future deviation, letting you safely refactor code whose exact behavior is not formally specified.
AssertionAn assertion is a statement in a test that checks whether an actual result matches an expected result, if the condition holds, the test continues or passes; if not, the assertion fails and marks the test as failed.
Test RunnerA test runner is the tool that finds your test files, executes the tests (handling setup, teardown, and order), and reports the results, the engine that actually drives a test run, as opposed to the libraries that make assertions or create mocks.
Test QuarantineTest quarantine is the practice of moving a flaky or unreliable test out of the main pass/fail gate, so it no longer blocks the build, while keeping it running and tracked separately so it is fixed rather than forgotten.
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