Such positions as Tester, QA Engineer, QA Analyst, and SDET often appear in job vacancies and descriptions. While some of them may require a similar amount of experience and knowledge, others demand specific skills. Today, let's delve into the differences between these job roles.
Tester
Testers’ primary responsibility connects with executing meticulously crafted test cases to identify and document software defects. Testers scrutinize every aspect of the software, conducting various tests including functional, regression, integration, usability testing, and other testing types.
Quality assurance engineers are responsible for identifying defects, ensuring the software behaves as expected, and validating that it meets specified requirements. This role requires a blend of technical skills, analytical abilities, and a keen eye for detail.
The QA engineer profession can be divided into two main directions: manual QA engineer and automation QA engineer.
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Manual QA Engineer
A manual QA engineer executes test cases manually without using automation tools. The primary goal of a manual QA engineer's work is to identify defects, ensure that the software behaves as expected, and validate that it meets the specified requirements.
The set of skills responsibilities of a manual QA engineer include:
Test planning and design. Manual QA engineers identify test objectives, scope, and necessary resources. They develop detailed test plans and test cases based on software requirements and specifications.
Test execution. They execute test cases manually and report results. Manual QA engineers perform various types of testing, such as functional, regression, integration, usability, and performance testing. Additionally, they verify bug fixes and ensure that reported issues are resolved.
Defect tracking and reporting. Manual QA engineers identify, document, and track software defects using bug tracking tools. They work closely with developers to reproduce issues and ensure accurate fixes. They also provide detailed and actionable bug reports to facilitate quick resolution.
Requirement analysis. Manual QA engineers collaborate with business analysts, developers, and stakeholders to understand and clarify requirements. They ensure that test coverage adequately reflects the requirements and business needs.
Test environment setup. Manual QA engineers prepare and maintain the test environment to ensure that it matches the production setup. They also install and configure software applications necessary for their testing activities.
Documentation. Manual QA engineers maintain comprehensive and accurate test documentation, including test plans, test cases, and test reports. They ensure that documentation is up-to-date and accessible to relevant stakeholders.
Concerning the obligatory skills required for a manual QA engineer position, we should pinpoint these as the most important:
- Strong technical skills. These include a basic understanding of databases and structured query language (SQL) for verifying data integrity. Manual QA engineers should be familiar with operating systems and browsers for cross-platform testing.
- Understanding of SDLC and STLC. They must have extensive knowledge of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) to align testing activities with development phases.
- Understanding of testing types. Knowledge of various testing types, such as functional, regression, integration, usability, and performance testing, is crucial. While some of this knowledge can be acquired through the testing process, it remains a very important area for manual QA engineers.
- Ability to use bug-tracking tools to document and manage defects, as well as other tools that manual QA engineers work with.
- Strong documentation skills. They must be able to maintain accurate and comprehensive test documentation, including test plans, test cases, and test reports.
Additionally, it is very important for manual QA engineers to have strong time management, team collaboration, and critical thinking skills. They must also be attentive to detail to meticulously identify defects and inconsistencies in software.
Automation QA Engineer
Similar to manual QA engineers, automation ones handle test planning and design, test execution, defect tracking and reporting, and documentation, etc. However, they approach these tasks according to the requirements of test automation.
Speaking about test execution, they execute automated test cases and report results. They perform various types of automated testing, such as functional, regression, integration, performance, and load testing. Additionally, they analyze test results to identify defects and areas for improvement. In addition, they have to perform the following responsibilities:
- Test script development. Automation QA engineers write, maintain, and optimize automated test scripts using various automation tools and frameworks (e.g., Selenium, Appium, JUnit). They ensure that test scripts are reusable and efficient.
- Framework development. Automation QA engineers design and implement automation frameworks that support scalable and maintainable test automation. They continuously improve the framework to enhance test efficiency and coverage.
- Test automation environment setup. Automation QA engineers prepare and maintain the test environment to ensure it matches the production setup. They install and configure software applications necessary for automated testing and ensure that test environments are stable and reliable.
Concerning the obligatory skills required for an automation QA engineer position, we should pinpoint these as the most important:
- Strong technical skills. In addition to the obligatory skillset for manual QA engineers, automation ones must have advanced programming skills and knowledge of automation tools and frameworks (e.g., Selenium, Appium, JUnit). Automation QA engineers should also be proficient in scripting languages (e.g., Python, JavaScript) and understand object-oriented programming concepts, framework development and setting, etc.
- Continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD). Automation QA engineers must be adept at integrating automated tests into continuous integration and continuous deployment pipelines to ensure consistent test execution and immediate feedback on code changes.
Terms such as ‘Tester’ and ‘QA Engineer’ are often used interchangeably. Both testers and QA engineers aim to ensure that the software meets specified requirements and is free of defects. In addition, both roles require strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and a good understanding of the software development process. Moreover, both may use tools for test case management, defect tracking (e.g., JIRA, Bugzilla), and test automation (e.g., Selenium). Furthermore, both work closely with developers, business analysts, and other stakeholders to understand requirements and clarify issues.
However, they are not exactly the same professions. Both roles are important in ensuring the quality of software, but they differ a bit in scope, responsibilities, and focus areas. Here’s a detailed description of their differences.
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Scope of work
Testers typically focus on executing test cases, identifying bugs, and reporting them. Their work is more about finding defects in the software.
A QA Engineer position involves a broader scope that includes not only finding defects but also preventing them. QA engineers work on improving the processes that lead to high-quality software, which can involve process improvement, metrics analysis, and ensuring compliance with standards.
Responsibilities
Tester executes test cases, reports and tracks defects, verifies bug fixes, and performs regression testing.
QA Engineer designs and implements test plans and strategies, develops and maintains test automation frameworks, and performs root cause analysis for defects. They also work on process improvements to enhance overall software quality and ensure compliance with industry standards and best practices.
Focus area
Tester focuses more on the product (i.e., the software itself) by identifying and documenting defects. QA Engineer focuses on both the product and the process, ensuring that the methodologies used in software development and testing lead to high-quality outcomes.
Approach
Tester: Reactive approach – finding defects after they have been introduced into the software.
QA Engineer: Proactive approach – implementing processes and practices to prevent defects from being introduced in the first place.
Technical skills
Testers may have less emphasis on technical skills and more on understanding the application, writing test cases, and executing them. QA Engineer position typically requires stronger technical skills, including programming for test automation, understanding CI/CD pipelines, and integrating testing tools within the development lifecycle.
QA (Test) Analyst
A QA Analyst, or test analyst is a profession similar to the manual QA engineer. The work of a QA analyst involves test case design and documentation, requirement analysis, and providing feedback. Typically, the position of a QA analyst doesn’t require test automation and programming knowledge, so manual QA engineers can apply for this position if they have appropriate experience in test planning and requirements analysis.
Below you find the detailed list of some differences between manual QA engineer and QA analyst.
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Scope of work
Manual QA Engineers typically focus on executing test cases manually, identifying bugs, and reporting them. Their work is more about finding defects in the software through manual testing efforts.
A QA Analyst position involves a broader scope that includes test case design and documentation, requirement analysis, and providing feedback. QA analysts work on understanding user requirements and translating them into comprehensive test plans and cases, which can involve early defect identification and mitigation.
Responsibilities
Manual QA Engineers execute manual test cases, report and track defects, verify bug fixes, and perform regression testing.
QA Analyst designs and documents test cases, performs requirement analysis, provides feedback to development teams, and ensures that the test coverage reflects the user requirements and business needs.
Focus area
Manual QA Engineers focus more on the testing process (i.e., executing and documenting test cases) by identifying and documenting defects. QA Analyst focuses on both understanding user requirements and ensuring thorough test coverage to prevent defects from being introduced.
Approach
Manual QA Engineer applies reactive approach – finding defects after they have been introduced into the software.
QA Analyst needs a proactive approach – identifying and documenting requirements and potential issues early in the development process.
Technical skills
Manual QA Engineers may have less emphasis on technical skills and more on executing test cases and understanding the application. A QA Analyst position typically requires strong analytical skills, with a focus on requirement analysis and comprehensive test documentation, without the necessity for test automation and programming knowledge.
SDET
While manual QA engineers might continue their career path in a QA analyst position, automation QA engineers can grow to SDET positions.
SDET stands for Software Development Engineer in Test or Software Design Engineer in Test. An SDET position combines the skills of a developer, tester, and DevOps. They are involved in every stage of the software release cycle, from writing unit tests to handling test planning. Simply put, an SDET is a highly technical QA engineer who is skilled in multiple areas.
SDETs have various responsibilities including:
- Understanding how the code works and its interactions with other parts.
- Investigating user issues reported by the support team.
- Developing reusable scripts and tools as needed.
- Being skilled in both functional and non-functional testing areas.
- Reporting bugs and working with the team to resolve them.
- Writing unit tests to ensure code quality.
- Contributing to design and architecture discussions.
Additionally, SDETs use their skills to create test automation frameworks and tools. They also select the best test automation tools for their teams.
Both roles ‘SDET’ and ‘Automation QA Engineer’ require strong technical skills, attention to detail, and a good understanding of the software development process. Moreover, both use tools for test automation, scripting, and integration. Furthermore, both work closely with developers, business analysts, and other stakeholders to understand requirements and clarify issues.
However, they are not exactly the same professions. While automation QA engineers focus on automating the testing process and identifying defects, SDETs leverage both development and testing skills to enhance software quality comprehensively. Here’s a detailed description of their differences:
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Scope of work
Automation QA engineers typically focus on automating test cases, identifying bugs, and reporting them. Their work is more about enhancing testing efficiency through automation.
An SDET position involves a broader scope that includes not only automating tests but also contributing to software development. SDETs work on developing tools and frameworks that lead to high-quality software, which can involve creating reusable scripts, integrating testing processes, and ensuring compliance with standards.
Responsibilities
Automation QA engineers execute automated tests, report and track defects, verify bug fixes, and perform regression testing.
SDET designs and implements test automation frameworks, develops and maintains testing tools, and performs root cause analysis for defects. They also work on process improvements to enhance overall software quality and ensure compliance with industry standards and best practices.
Focus area
Automation QA engineers focus more on the testing process (i.e., automating and executing test cases) by identifying and documenting defects. SDET focuses on both the product and the development process, ensuring that the methodologies used in software development and testing lead to high-quality outcomes.
Approach
Automation QA engineer, compared to an SDET, demonstrates a reactive approach – finding defects after they have been introduced into the software.
SDET position requires a proactive approach – implementing processes and practices to prevent defects from being introduced in the first place.
Technical skills
Automation QA engineers may have a strong emphasis on automation tools and scripting, understanding the application, writing automated test cases, and executing them. SDET position typically requires even stronger technical skills, including programming, understanding CI/CD pipelines, integrating testing tools within the development lifecycle, and sometimes contributing to the software codebase.
The distinctions between tester, QA engineer, QA analyst, and SDET roles highlight the multifaceted nature of quality assurance in software development. Testers focus on executing test cases, while QA engineers contribute to test planning, requirement analysis, and defect management. SDETs, with their unique blend of development and testing skills, play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between coding and testing activities. Understanding these differences is important for organizations to build cohesive testing teams capable of delivering reliable and high-quality software products.
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