Software testing careers: Many paths to success

Software testing offers a world of opportunities, whether you’re just beginning your journey or aiming to elevate your career. From manual testing to automation, performance testing to AI-driven strategies, the possibilities are endless. As the tech landscape evolves, there’s always room to learn and specialize in new areas.

In this week’s edition of Coding Jag , we explore the various paths in the software testing field, showcasing how you can carve out your success and thrive in this dynamic industry.

News

1. The Testing Unknown Unknowns

Jitesh Gosai explores how testing goes beyond pass/fail categories to help teams reduce uncertainty around system behavior. By reframing testing as a feedback tool for “unknown-unknowns,” he shows how teams can surface the hidden gaps in their understanding, making software systems more resilient and adaptable.

2. Transforming Location Retrieval at Airbnb: A Journey from Heuristics to Reinforcement Learning

Dillon Davis delves into how Airbnb revolutionized its location retrieval system, moving from basic heuristics to advanced machine learning and reinforcement learning. By tapping into these data-driven techniques, Airbnb has made search results more relevant and personalized, enhancing guest experiences and boosting bookings worldwide.

3. 3 Good Things and 3 Bad Things About Working in Outsourcing Companies

Mihaela Sfat shares an honest look at the highs and lows of working in IT outsourcing. She highlights the perks—like gaining diverse tech exposure and building resilience—alongside the downsides, such as limited project ownership and challenges in career development. Her insights offer a thoughtful guide for anyone considering a path in professional services.

4. Software testing careers: Many paths to success

Oleksandr Romanov 's blog covers many fulfilling paths a career in software testing can take, from technical roles to leadership and beyond. He encourages testers to explore, find what excites them, and shape their careers based on passion rather than tradition. It's a journey of continuous learning, growth, and openness to new possibilities.

5. Leveraging Test Intelligence to Scale Quality and Drive Competitive Advantage

Antoine CRASKE reveals how test intelligence turns testing data into actionable insights, helping businesses elevate quality and sharpen their competitive edge. By addressing key challenges and offering strategies for scaling, he illustrates how leaders can build a test intelligence ecosystem that supports smarter decision-making and continuous improvement.

AI

6. Generating zero-shot personalized portraits

Suraj Kothawade introduces an excellent AI model that lets you transform selfies into unique art styles—from anime to watercolor—while keeping your facial features intact. This zero-shot model captures the nuances of expression and style, giving users endless creative possibilities for personalized, stylized portraits.

7. API Testing Reinvented: AI-Driven Testing, Contract Assurance, and a Practical Guide in Python

Rajesh Vinayagam reimagines API testing as a high-tech post office, ensuring safe, accurate deliveries between systems. He highlights how AI-driven testing and contract assurance with Pact Testing make APIs more reliable, helping developers maintain seamless interactions across evolving services.

Automation

8. Generic functions help me to reduce the amount of Playwright test automation code

Mike Harris CITP FBCS explains how using TypeScript generic functions in Playwright's Page Object Model can significantly reduce test automation code. By creating reusable functions that adapt to multiple types (like footballers and cricketers), Mike shows how generic functions streamline code, lower maintenance costs, and make testing more efficient.

9. Selenium Versus Karate: a Solid Comparative Approach

Pier-Jean Malandrino compares Selenium and Karate for behavior-driven development (BDD) in testing microservices. He explores both frameworks' functionalities, technical aspects, and their use in CI/CD, focusing on how Selenium paired with Cucumber stacks up against Karate in practical, real-world testing scenarios.

10. Data Factory — How to randomize your data to make your tests easier to handle and more realistic

Emanuel S. introduces the Data Factory Pattern in test automation, which helps generate dynamic, random test data to simulate real-world scenarios and improve test coverage. By using a library like Data Faker, he demonstrates how to reduce test maintenance and create more realistic, diverse datasets for end-to-end testing.

11. SDET: Become a Pharaoh of Quality by Building Your Testing Pyramid

Ready to build a rock-solid foundation for your software quality? Kostiantyn Teltov shows you how to master the Testing Pyramid, a strategy that’s been a game changer for Agile teams. Skip the costly mistakes of over-relying on end-to-end tests and start building smarter, more efficient test strategies—before your competition does!

Tools

12. An Introduction into Karate Test Automation

Stuart Dewar highlights Karate as a powerful and easy-to-use test automation framework that simplifies API testing, UI automation, load testing, and more. With its Gherkin-like syntax and seamless Java and JavaScript integration, Karate offers a reliable and efficient solution for testers looking to streamline their workflows.

13. Is It Worth Mocking WebSockets by Playwright?

Andrey Enin explores the challenges of testing WebSockets in automation, explaining that while it may seem simple at first, tools like Playwright can offer powerful solutions for mocking WebSocket connections. This approach streamlines testing by handling the complexities of real-time messaging protocols.

Other

14. Video: Is This the End of Selenium & Playwright? Claude 3.5 Sonnet Takes Over!

Karthik K.K discusses the revolutionary new Computer Use feature in Claude 3.5 Sonnet, which takes UI automation to the next level by expanding beyond traditional web and browser automation. This breakthrough allows Claude 3.5 to interact with computers in entirely new ways, opening up possibilities for automating a broader range of tasks.

15. Video: WebdriverIO Tutorial | How to Handle Alerts and Windows | Part IX ?

In part 9 of the WebdriverIO series, ?????????? ???????? - ???????????? ???????????????? , founder of automateNow, explores how to handle alerts and manage multiple windows in WebdriverIO. He demonstrates practical techniques for interacting with browser alerts and switching between windows to streamline complex test automation workflows, all while using LambdaTest’s cloud platform.

Events?

16.? Event: AI-Powered Quality Engineering: A Vision for 2025 and Beyond

Join us at the QE Conclave in Hyderabad on November 22nd, where top minds in Quality Engineering will gather to shape the future of AI-powered testing. LambdaTest is proud to sponsor this immersive event, designed for mid/senior-level QE professionals. It’s an exclusive opportunity to gain insights, strategies, and practical tools to stay ahead. Register now for this free in-person event!

Thanks for reading! Like what you see? ?? Hit "Subscribe" and Follow us on LinkedIn and never miss another update. Feel free to check out our previous editions !