A test automation engineer is a quality assurance engineer responsible for testing software automatically. They create, maintain, and execute automated test scripts to find bugs in the software and improve its overall quality. Automation QA engineers use programming languages and tools to automate repetitive testing processes, reducing the time and effort required compared to manual testing.
The history of automated testing
The history of automated testing is closely tied to the evolution of software development, but it didn’t appear at the same time as manual testing. Manual testing started with the birth of programming, but automated testing emerged only decades later when software became much more complex. Here’s a quick history recap:
1. The era of manual testing (1940s-1960s)
The concept of software testing began in the 1940s and 1950s, shortly after the first programmable computers were developed. Testing in this era was entirely manual, as it was tied to debugging and verifying the basic functionality of small, rudimentary programs. Software testing was considered an extension of debugging, so developers themselves manually inspected their code and made sure it worked properly.
2. The birth of automation (1970s)
By the 1960s and 1970s, software systems became more complex and larger in scale. The repetitive and time-consuming nature of manual testing made it clear that automation was needed to scale testing efforts.
Automated testing first appeared during this period. Tech specialists responsible for testing used batch processing scripts on mainframe computers. These scripts executed predefined sets of test cases, verified outputs, and reported anomalies. However, these tools were primitive compared to modern automated testing frameworks.
The 1970s also saw the rise of Unix, bringing tools like make, which automated builds and indirectly supported early forms of automation in the testing process.
3. Growth of automated testing tools (1980s-1990s)
The 1980s introduced specialized software testing tools like IBM’s Rational Test Suite and Mercury Interactive’s tools (later acquired by HP), which helped with automating regression, performance, and load testing.
The software development methodologies of the 1990s (Agile and Extreme Programming) placed greater emphasis on automated testing, creating the concept of unit testing. Frameworks like JUnit for Java appeared, promoting test-driven development.
4. The modern era of automated testing (2000s-present)
The 2000s saw the rise of open-source testing tools, such as Selenium (2004), which became widely adopted for web application testing. Open-source tools democratized testing and made it accessible to smaller organizations.
The adoption of Agile and DevOps methodologies has made automated testing essential. CI/CD pipelines rely heavily on automated testing to ensure rapid, reliable software delivery.
Core differences between automation and manual QA engineers
In 2025, automated testing hasn’t replaced manual testing entirely; the two complement each other. Manual testing is still valuable for exploratory, usability, and ad-hoc testing, while automation focuses on repetitive, predictable, and large-scale testing.
What are the key tools automated test engineers use?
Automated testing engineers use many tools. Here are some of the most popular tools and frameworks:
- Selenium. Open-source tool for web testing across browsers and languages (Java, Python, JavaScript).
- Cypress. JavaScript-based tool for front-end web testing with real-time debugging.
- Appium. Cross-platform tool for mobile app testing.
- BrowserStack. Cloud platform for cross-browser and cross-device testing.
- JUnit & TestNG. Java frameworks for writing and running automated tests.
- Postman. API testing tool with JavaScript scripting.
- Ranorex Studio. User-friendly tool for testing desktop, web, and mobile apps.
- Playwright. Web automation tool by Microsoft, supports multiple languages.
- Katalon Studio. All-in-one tool for web, API, and mobile testing.
- Perfecto. Cloud solution for web and mobile app testing.
Selenium, Cypress, and Appium consistently rank among the top automation tools based on GitHub repositories and industry reports.
Meanwhile, Python and Java are the most frequently used programming languages for automation, with JavaScript rapidly growing due to its simplicity and usage in tools like Cypress.
Is automated testing better than manual testing?
Automated testing has a bunch of advantages. It can run scripts significantly faster than manual testing and execute tests repeatedly with minimal human intervention. It can also uncover about a quarter more defects than manual methods. Automation is also perfect for large-scale projects that require frequent testing across multiple platforms. What’s more important, automated tools eliminate the risk of human error, which ensures consistent execution of test cases.
However, manual testing is still widely used. Why so? Due to its advantages – flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and a better understanding of the user experience.
Manual testing is better suited for exploratory, usability, or ad-hoc testing that requires human intuition, creativity, and adaptability. Manual testing can be more economical for smaller applications with less frequent updates since it doesn’t require tool investments or script development. What’s also important is that manual testers can provide insights into the look, feel, and usability of an application, which automation can’t replicate.
What are the salaries of automated test engineers in different countries?
The average annual salaries for automated test engineers are much higher than those of manual QA engineers, especially when we talk about middle-to-senior levels of specialists. The geographical location of a specialist also matters. Here are some average annual salaries of automated QA engineers across Europe, Asia, and America:
- United States: $95,000–$115,000
- Canada: $70,000–$90,000
- United Kingdom: $55,000–$75,000
- India: $10,000–$25,000
- Germany: $60,000–$80,000
- Ukraine: $20,000–$35,000
- Philippines: $8,000–$20,000
« Back to Glossary Index