Software Testing Interview Questions

Last updated on March 8th, 2025 at 01:16 pm

Here, we discuss Software Testing Interview Questions, Core Areas to focus on, and Tips for Success in the interview.

Preparing for a Software Testing interview requires a mix of technical knowledge, practical skills, and an understanding of industry best practices. Employers seek candidates with expertise in testing methodologies, problem-solving abilities, and familiarity with tools like Selenium, JIRA, or TestRail. Below is a breakdown of key topics and strategies to help you excel.

1. Core Areas for Software Testing Interview to Focus On

Fundamentals: Expect questions on SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle), STLC (Software Testing Life Cycle), and testing types (e.g., functional, regression, performance). For example, “Explain the difference between verification and validation.”
Scenario-Based Challenges: Interviewers assess critical thinking by presenting real-world scenarios. For example, you might be asked, “How would you test a login feature with time-bound OTP verification?”
Technical Skills: Automation roles often require coding knowledge (Python, Java) and framework expertise (e.g., TestNG, Cucumber). Be ready to write test scripts or debug code snippets.
Tools & Processes: Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, Agile/Scrum methodologies, and defect-tracking tools is crucial. Questions like “How do you prioritize bugs in a sprint?” test your workflow understanding.

2. Tips for Success in Interview

Practice Real-World Testing: Use platforms like LeetCode or BrowserStack to simulate environments.
Stay Updated: Follow blogs from authoritative sources like the Ministry of Testing or Stack Overflow.
Showcase Soft Skills: Highlight collaboration, communication, and adaptability—key traits for Agile teams.

1. What is Agile methodology?

Agile Methodology is an iterative project management approach emphasizing collaboration, customer feedback, and incremental delivery. It breaks projects into sprints (2–4 weeks), allowing flexibility to adapt to changes. Core values from the Agile Manifesto include prioritizing individuals, working software, customer collaboration, and responsiveness. Unlike Waterfall, Agile focuses on continuous improvement and delivering functional increments, fostering transparency and adaptability among cross-functional teams.

2. What are the Agile ceremonies?

The four main Agile ceremonies are Sprint Planning, Daily Standup, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective.

Sprint Planning: Define goals and tasks for the sprint.
Daily Stand-up: 15-minute sync on progress and blockers.
Sprint Review: Demo completed work to stakeholders.
Retrospective: Reflect on improvements for the next sprint. These rituals enhance communication, alignment, and iterative progress.

3. How would you test color, font, and text on a webpage before giving the client a demo?

Validating color, font, and text by:

Manual Inspection: Compare with design specs.
Browser DevTools: Inspect CSS properties.
Automated Checks: Use Selenium/Cypress for regression.
Accessibility Tools: Check contrast ratios (WCAG compliance).
Cross-Browser Testing: Ensure consistency across browsers.

4. What is RTM (Requirements Traceability Matrix)?

RTM is a document that links requirements throughout the validation process, ensuring that all requirements are met. In other words, A matrix linking requirements to test cases, ensuring coverage. Columns include Requirement ID, Test Case, Status, and Defects. It tracks progress, aids audits, and confirms all requirements are validated. Critical for compliance-heavy projects (e.g., healthcare, finance).

5. Where did you apply API testing in your project?

API testing validated backend logic in projects:

Endpoints: Test CRUD operations (Postman).
Data Flow: Ensure seamless integration between microservices.
Edge Cases: Validate error codes and boundary conditions.
Security: Check authentication/authorization. Automated via Jenkins pipelines.

6. What is integration testing, and how would you perform it in your previous project?

Integration testing checks the interactions between integrated units/modules to detect interface defects.

In a past e-commerce project:

Stub Services: Simulate payment gateways.
API Contracts: Verify data consistency (Swagger).
End-to-End Flows: Test user checkout. Tools: Postman, RestAssured. Ensured modules function cohesively.

7. What is the difference between the Waterfall model and Agile?

Waterfall: Linear phases (requirements → deployment). Rigid, late testing, minimal customer involvement.

Agile: Iterative, flexible, continuous feedback. Delivers increments, and adapts to changes. Agile suits dynamic requirements; Waterfall for fixed-scope projects.

8. What are PI and IP in Agile?

PI (Program Increment): SAFe framework’s 8–12 week planning cycle aligning multiple teams.

IP (Iteration Planning): Sprint planning (2–4 weeks) for task breakdown. PI syncs cross-team goals; IP focuses on team-level execution.

9. How would you integrate your code into Jenkins and Git?

Git Setup: Push code to the repository (GitHub/GitLab).
Jenkins Job: Configure webhooks to trigger builds on commit.
Pipeline Script: Use Jenkinsfile for stages (build, test, deploy).
Artifacts: Store outputs (Docker images) in Nexus/Artifactory.

10. How would you decide the time estimate for a particular feature or sprint?

Time estimation for a particular feature or sprint involves:

Task Breakdown: Split into sub-tasks.
Historical Data: Velocity from past sprints.
Collaboration: Planning poker with the team.
Buffer: Include contingency for risks. Balance complexity, dependencies, and team capacity.

11. SQL: There is an employee table where you need to select only the 3 highest-paying salary employees.

SELECT DISTINCT salary 
FROM employee 
ORDER BY salary DESC 
LIMIT 3;

Uses DISTINCT to handle duplicates, ORDER BY DESC for the highest first, LIMIT 3 to fetch the top 3.

12. SQL: There are two tables with 3 common rows. How would you display all the common rows?

SELECT * FROM table1 
INTERSECT 
SELECT * FROM table2;

INTERSECT returns rows present in both tables. Ensure columns and datatypes match.

13. What are patches and bug releases?

Patch: Small fix for critical issues (security).
Bug Release: Version addressing multiple bugs. Both are minor updates, unlike feature releases.

14. What is the difference between a bug, a defect, and an error?

Error: Coding mistake (e.g., syntax).
Defect: Flaw in the system from an error.
Bug: Informal term for defect. Hierarchy: Error → Defect (Bug).

15. Login Page Corner Scenarios: What scenarios would you test aside from invalid login credentials?

Scenarios that would test aside from invalid login credentials are:

Password masking/visibility toggle.
Session timeout after inactivity.
“Forgot Password” flow.
Browser back button post-login.
SQL injection/XSS attempts.
Concurrent logins.
Cookie handling post-logout.

16. Tell me about the bug template and test case template.

Bug Template: ID, Title, Steps, Expected/Actual, Severity, Environment, Attachments (screenshots).

Test Case Template: ID, Objective, Preconditions, Steps, Expected Result, Status (Pass/Fail).

17. What is FRC, BRC, and SRC?

FRC (Functional Requirements Catalog): System functionalities.
BRC (Business Requirements Catalog): High-level business goals.
SRC (System Requirements Catalog): Technical specs (performance, security).

18. Java Coding Challenge: Calculate the parking payment.

Calculates duration, rounds up hours, multiplies by rate.

public static double calculateFee(Date entry, Date exit, double hourlyRate) {
    long duration = exit.getTime() - entry.getTime();
    double hours = Math.ceil(duration / (3600.0 * 1000));
    return hours * hourlyRate;
}

19. Java Coding Challenge: Find pairs that add up to 10.

Uses a hash set for O(n) time complexity.

public static List<int[]> findPairs(int[] arr) {
    List<int[]> pairs = new ArrayList<>();
    Set<Integer> seen = new HashSet<>();
    for (int num : arr) {
        if (seen.contains(10 - num)) pairs.add(new int[]{num, 10 - num});
        seen.add(num);
    }
    return pairs;
}

20. Java Coding Challenge: Given int a = 0; int b = a; b = a++;, what will be the output?

Post-increment returns the original value before incrementing.

int a = 0;
int b = a; // b=0
b = a++; // b=0 (post-increment: a becomes 1)
System.out.println(a + ", " + b); // Output: 1, 0

21. Selenium Automation: How would you automate iframe switching with 4 frames?

Use switchTo().frame() with index/name, then return to the default content.

// Switch to each frame by index (0 to 3)
for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
    driver.switchTo().frame(i);
    // Perform actions
    driver.switchTo().defaultContent(); // Return to main page
}

22. Selenium Automation: How would you handle auto-suggest dropdowns in Google search?

Wait for suggestions to load, iterate through options, and click the desired one.

driver.findElement(By.name("q")).sendKeys("selenium");
WebDriverWait wait = new WebDriverWait(driver, Duration.ofSeconds(10));
wait.until(ExpectedConditions.visibilityOfElementLocated(By.cssSelector("ul[role='listbox']")));
List<WebElement> suggestions = driver.findElements(By.cssSelector("li"));
for (WebElement item : suggestions) {
    if (item.getText().contains("webdriver")) item.click();
}

By blending technical mastery with practical examples, you’ll stand out as a candidate who not only understands testing theory but also thrives in dynamic, results-driven environments.

Best of luck!

Table of Contents

1. Core Areas for Software Testing Interview to Focus On

2. Tips for Success in Interview