Automated Testing & Load Generation

Module Overview

Master comprehensive testing strategies from test-driven development to production load testing. Build expertise in unit testing, integration testing, and end-to-end testing using modern frameworks. Learn to implement automated test suites, performance testing, and load generation tools while establishing quality assurance processes that ensure reliable, scalable applications. Apply advanced testing methodologies to bulletproof your Task Manager application.

Technical Depth

Testing Fundamentals & Test-Driven Development

TDD Methodology

Overview

Establish a solid foundation in software testing principles and test-driven development methodology. Learn the testing pyramid, understand different types of tests, and master the Red-Green-Refactor cycle. Develop skills in writing testable code, creating effective test cases, and implementing testing strategies that drive better design decisions and code quality throughout the development lifecycle.

Learning Resources

Course Title Provider Description Level Mandatory Action
Introduction to Test Driven Development
Pluralsight
Comprehensive introduction to TDD methodology covering the Red-Green-Refactor cycle, benefits of TDD, and practical implementation strategies.
 Beginner Required Start Learning
The Testing Pyramid
Martin Fowler
Foundational article explaining the testing pyramid concept, balancing unit tests, integration tests, and UI tests for optimal test coverage.
 Beginner Required Start Learning
Test Driven Development Course
freeCodeCamp
Full TDD course covering principles, practice, and real-world application with hands-on coding examples and best practices.
 Intermediate Required Start Learning
Writing Testable Code
Google Testing Blog
Google's guide to writing code that is easy to test, including dependency injection, avoiding static methods, and designing for testability.
 Intermediate Required Start Learning
Software Testing Fundamentals
Coursera (University of Minnesota)
Academic introduction to software testing including testing techniques, coverage criteria, and quality assurance principles.
 Beginner Optional Start Learning
Clean Code: Testing
Robert C. Martin
Clean Code principles applied to testing, including test naming conventions, structure, and maintaining clean test suites.
 Advanced Optional Start Learning

TDD Foundation Project

Task Manager TDD Implementation
  1. Practice Red-Green-Refactor cycle by implementing core Task Manager functions using TDD
  2. Write failing tests first for task creation, updating, and deletion functionality
  3. Implement minimal code to make tests pass, then refactor for clean code principles
  4. Create test cases covering edge cases, error conditions, and boundary values
  5. Design testable architecture with proper separation of concerns and dependency injection
  6. Document TDD workflow and lessons learned for future reference
Start TDD Project

Unit Testing & Mocking Strategies

Testing Framework

Overview

Master unit testing frameworks including Jest, Mocha, and pytest to create comprehensive test suites. Learn advanced mocking techniques, stubbing external dependencies, and testing asynchronous code. Develop expertise in test doubles, fixtures, and parameterized tests while understanding code coverage metrics and maintaining fast, reliable unit tests that provide confidence in your codebase.

Learning Resources

Course Title Provider Description Level Mandatory Action
Jest Complete Testing Framework
Jest Documentation
Official Jest documentation covering unit testing, mocking, async testing, and advanced features for JavaScript applications.
 Beginner Required Start Learning
JavaScript Testing Masterclass
Udemy
Comprehensive JavaScript testing course covering Jest, testing React components, mocking APIs, and advanced testing patterns.
 Intermediate Required Start Learning
Python Testing with pytest
Real Python
Complete guide to pytest framework including fixtures, parametrized tests, mocking, and testing best practices for Python applications.
 Intermediate Required Start Learning
Mocking in Unit Tests
Fun Fun Function
Practical guide to mocking strategies, when to use mocks vs stubs, and creating effective test doubles for external dependencies.
 Intermediate Required Start Learning
Testing Asynchronous Code
Testing JavaScript
Advanced techniques for testing async/await functions, promises, callbacks, and handling async operations in test suites.
 Advanced Optional Start Learning
Code Coverage Best Practices
Codecov
Understanding code coverage metrics, setting coverage thresholds, and using coverage reports to improve test quality and identify gaps.
 Intermediate Optional Start Learning

Unit Testing Workshop

Task Manager Unit Test Suite
  1. Create comprehensive unit tests for all Task Manager business logic using Jest/pytest
  2. Implement mocking strategies for database operations, external APIs, and file system interactions
  3. Write tests for edge cases, error conditions, and boundary value scenarios
  4. Test asynchronous operations including API calls, database queries, and timer functions
  5. Achieve 90%+ code coverage while maintaining meaningful test scenarios
  6. Set up automated test running and coverage reporting with continuous feedback
Start Workshop

Integration & End-to-End Testing

E2E Automation

Overview

Master integration testing strategies to verify component interactions and end-to-end testing for complete user workflows. Learn tools like Cypress, Playwright, and Selenium for browser automation. Develop skills in API testing, database integration testing, and creating reliable test environments. Build comprehensive test suites that validate entire application functionality from user perspective.

Learning Resources

Course Title Provider Description Level Mandatory Action
Cypress End-to-End Testing
Cypress Documentation
Official Cypress guide covering installation, writing tests, best practices, and advanced features for modern web application testing.
 Beginner Required Start Learning
Playwright Modern Testing
Microsoft
Comprehensive Playwright tutorial covering cross-browser testing, mobile testing, and advanced automation features for modern web apps.
 Intermediate Required Start Learning
API Testing with Postman
Postman Learning Center
Complete guide to API testing including request creation, test scripting, environment management, and automated collection runs.
 Beginner Required Start Learning
Integration Testing Strategies
Kent C. Dodds
Advanced integration testing concepts including testing component interactions, database integration, and third-party service testing.
 Intermediate Required Start Learning
Selenium WebDriver Complete Course
Test Automation University
Comprehensive Selenium course covering WebDriver basics, page object patterns, and advanced automation techniques for web testing.
 Intermediate Optional Start Learning
Testing Library Best Practices
Testing Library
Guide to Testing Library principles focusing on user-centric testing approaches and best practices for React component testing.
 Advanced Optional Start Learning

Integration Testing Lab

Task Manager E2E Test Suite
  1. Create comprehensive Cypress/Playwright test suite covering complete user workflows
  2. Implement API integration tests using Postman/Newman for all REST endpoints
  3. Build database integration tests verifying data persistence and retrieval
  4. Create cross-browser compatibility tests for major browsers and mobile devices
  5. Implement visual regression testing to catch UI changes and layout issues
  6. Set up test data management and environment isolation for reliable test execution
Start Lab

Test Automation & CI/CD Integration

DevOps Testing

Overview

Build automated testing pipelines integrated with CI/CD workflows using GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, and Jenkins. Learn to configure test automation that runs on every commit, pull request, and deployment. Master parallel test execution, test result reporting, and quality gates that prevent broken code from reaching production. Implement comprehensive testing strategies that scale with team growth.

Learning Resources

Course Title Provider Description Level Mandatory Action
GitHub Actions for Testing
GitHub Documentation
Complete guide to setting up automated testing workflows with GitHub Actions including test parallelization and reporting.
 Beginner Required Start Learning
CI/CD Pipeline Testing
GitLab Learn
Comprehensive course on integrating testing into CI/CD pipelines with GitLab CI including test stages and quality gates.
 Intermediate Required Start Learning
Jenkins Pipeline Testing
Jenkins.io
Learn to create Jenkins pipelines with automated testing stages, parallel execution, and comprehensive reporting features.
 Intermediate Required Start Learning
Test Reporting and Analytics
Allure Framework
Advanced test reporting with Allure including test analytics, trend analysis, and comprehensive test result visualization.
 Advanced Required Start Learning
Docker for Test Environments
Docker
Learn to containerize test environments using Docker for consistent, reproducible testing across development and CI/CD pipelines.
 Intermediate Optional Start Learning
Test Infrastructure as Code
TestProject
Advanced concepts for managing test infrastructure as code including test environment provisioning and scaling strategies.
 Advanced Optional Start Learning

CI/CD Testing Pipeline Project

Task Manager Automated Testing Pipeline
  1. Configure GitHub Actions workflow with multi-stage testing pipeline (unit, integration, E2E)
  2. Implement parallel test execution to optimize CI/CD pipeline performance
  3. Set up automated test reporting with Allure or similar framework
  4. Create quality gates that prevent deployment if test coverage falls below thresholds
  5. Configure containerized test environments using Docker for consistency
  6. Implement test result notifications and failure alerts for team communication
Start Pipeline Project

Performance Testing & Load Generation

Performance Engineering

Overview

Master performance testing methodologies including load testing, stress testing, and scalability testing. Learn tools like JMeter, K6, and Artillery for generating realistic load scenarios. Develop skills in performance monitoring, bottleneck identification, and optimization strategies. Create comprehensive performance test suites that validate application behavior under various load conditions and ensure scalability requirements are met.

Learning Resources

Course Title Provider Description Level Mandatory Action
Apache JMeter Complete Course
Udemy
Comprehensive JMeter training covering test plan creation, load generation, result analysis, and advanced performance testing scenarios.
 Beginner Required Start Learning
K6 Load Testing Guide
Grafana K6
Modern load testing with K6 including JavaScript-based test scripts, cloud scaling, and integration with monitoring systems.
 Intermediate Required Start Learning
Artillery Load Testing
Artillery.io
Modern toolkit for load testing APIs and web applications with Artillery including scenario-based testing and real-time metrics.
 Intermediate Required Start Learning
Performance Testing Fundamentals
QA Load
Theoretical foundation of performance testing including load vs stress vs spike testing, performance metrics, and testing strategies.
 Beginner Required Start Learning
Lighthouse Performance Auditing
Google Developers
Using Google Lighthouse for automated performance auditing, Core Web Vitals analysis, and performance optimization recommendations.
 Beginner Optional Start Learning
WebPageTest Advanced Analysis
WebPageTest
Deep dive into WebPageTest for detailed performance analysis including waterfall charts, filmstrip views, and optimization insights.
 Advanced Optional Start Learning

Performance Testing Challenge

Task Manager Performance Validation
  1. Create comprehensive JMeter test plan covering all API endpoints with realistic user scenarios
  2. Implement load testing scripts using K6 to validate system performance under expected traffic
  3. Conduct stress testing to identify system breaking points and failure modes
  4. Set up continuous performance monitoring using Artillery integrated with CI/CD pipeline
  5. Analyze performance bottlenecks and create optimization recommendations with before/after metrics
  6. Create performance test documentation including test scenarios, SLA definitions, and escalation procedures
Start Performance Challenge

Quality Assurance & Testing Best Practices

QA Excellence

Overview

Establish comprehensive quality assurance processes and testing best practices for enterprise-grade applications. Learn test planning, test case design, defect management, and quality metrics. Develop expertise in accessibility testing, security testing, and cross-platform compatibility. Build sustainable QA processes that scale with team growth and ensure consistent software quality across development cycles.

Learning Resources

Course Title Provider Description Level Mandatory Action
Software Quality Assurance
edX (University of Maryland)
Comprehensive QA course covering testing methodologies, quality processes, defect management, and industry best practices.
 Intermediate Required Start Learning
Accessibility Testing Guide
WebAIM
Comprehensive guide to accessibility testing including WCAG guidelines, automated testing tools, and manual testing techniques.
 Intermediate Required Start Learning
Security Testing Fundamentals
OWASP
Essential security testing concepts including OWASP Top 10, penetration testing basics, and automated security scanning tools.
 Advanced Required Start Learning
Test Case Design Techniques
ISTQB
Advanced test case design including equivalence partitioning, boundary value analysis, and decision table testing techniques.
 Intermediate Required Start Learning
Mobile Testing Strategies
Sauce Labs
Comprehensive mobile testing guide covering device compatibility, performance testing, and mobile-specific testing considerations.
 Intermediate Optional Start Learning
Quality Metrics and KPIs
Quality Assurance Institute
Guide to establishing quality metrics, tracking testing KPIs, and creating quality dashboards for continuous improvement.
 Advanced Optional Start Learning

QA Excellence Capstone

Task Manager Quality Assurance Framework
  1. Design comprehensive test plan covering functional, non-functional, and exploratory testing
  2. Implement accessibility testing using automated tools and manual testing techniques
  3. Conduct security testing including vulnerability scanning and penetration testing basics
  4. Create cross-browser and mobile compatibility test matrix with device coverage strategy
  5. Establish quality metrics dashboard tracking test coverage, defect density, and release quality
  6. Document complete QA process including test procedures, quality gates, and continuous improvement plan
Start QA Capstone
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