Automation Testing: Using code and tools to run tests automatically instead of by hand.

Example

A Playwright or Selenium script logs in, adds an item to the cart and checks the total every night.

Why Automation Testing matters for IT interns

Automation skills are in demand for QA roles, but they build on good manual testing thinking.

Where you will hear it

You will hear this term in testing and quality discussions, from test planning to bug reports. If someone uses it and you are not sure what they mean in your project, it is completely fine to ask; every team uses terms a little differently.

Related terms

  • Bug: A problem where the software doesn’t behave the way it is supposed to.
  • Defect: A flaw where the software doesn’t meet its requirements.
  • Functional Testing: Testing that each feature does what the requirements say it should.
  • Manual Testing: Testing software by hand — using it like a real user and checking the results — without automation scripts.
  • Priority (in bug tracking): How soon a bug should be fixed, based on business needs.
  • QA (Quality Assurance): The work of making sure software meets the expected quality, through testing, reviews and improving how the…

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Related guides

Frequently asked questions

What is Automation Testing?

Using code and tools to run tests automatically instead of by hand.

What is an example of Automation Testing?

A Playwright or Selenium script logs in, adds an item to the cart and checks the total every night.

Why does Automation Testing matter for IT interns?

Automation skills are in demand for QA roles, but they build on good manual testing thinking.

Explore more internship terms

The IT Internship Glossary explains 199 terms you will hear before and during your internship, with simple definitions and real examples.

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Dhaivat Ajwaliya

About the author

Dhaivat Ajwaliya

Dhaivat has 16+ years of experience in the IT industry, working on AI and cloud technologies, project delivery, and engineering leadership. He has interviewed and mentored many interns, wrote The Lost Intern, and runs the non-commercial Career Impact Initiative, mentoring students for free.