Introduction: Growing Hiring Demand for Test Engineers (Freshers)
In today’s fast-growing IT industry, test engineers play a crucial role in delivering high-quality software. Companies release web apps, mobile apps, and APIs frequently, and every release needs proper testing.
Because of this, freshers are in high demand for QA and test engineer roles, especially in:
- Manual testing
- Entry-level automation testing
- Functional and UI testing
If you are preparing for your first QA role, this guide on test engineer interview questions and answers for freshers will help you understand concepts step by step, with examples, scenarios, test cases, and bug report samples.
What Is Software Testing? (Simple Explanation)
Software testing is the process of checking whether an application works as expected and meets user requirements.
In simple words:
Testing ensures that software does what it should do and does not break.
Why software testing is important:
- Finds bugs before users do
- Improves product quality
- Saves cost and time
- Builds customer trust
What Is Manual Testing?
Manual testing means testing the software by hand, without using automation tools.
Example:
- Open a website
- Enter username and password
- Click Login
- Check whether login is successful
This entire activity is manual testing.
Why manual testing is best for freshers:
- Easy to learn
- No coding required
- Helps understand application behavior
- Strong base for automation testing
What Is Automation Testing?
Automation testing uses tools and scripts to test software automatically.
Simple example:
Instead of manually logging in 100 times, an automation script performs login automatically with different data.
Manual vs Automation (Easy Comparison)
| Manual Testing | Automation Testing |
| Done by humans | Done by tools |
| Time-consuming | Faster |
| No programming | Basic coding needed |
| Best for beginners | Best after basics |
Test Engineer Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers (Basic Level)
1. What is a test engineer?
A test engineer checks software to ensure it works correctly and reports defects.
2. What is software testing?
It is the process of verifying and validating software functionality.
3. What is a bug?
A bug is an error or defect in the software.
4. What is a defect?
Defect is another name for a bug.
5. What is a test case?
A test case is a document with steps to test a feature.
6. What is a test scenario?
A test scenario describes what to test, not detailed steps.
7. What is SDLC?
Software Development Life Cycle includes requirement, design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance.
8. What is STLC?
Software Testing Life Cycle defines testing activities like planning, designing, executing, and closing tests.
9. What is verification?
Checking documents without running code.
10. What is validation?
Testing the actual software.
11. What is black box testing?
Testing without knowing internal code.
12. What is white box testing?
Testing with knowledge of code.
13. What is functional testing?
Testing software features against requirements.
14. What is non-functional testing?
Testing performance, security, usability, etc.
15. What is regression testing?
Re-testing after changes to ensure old functionality works.
Slightly Advanced Fresher QA Interview Q&A
16. What is smoke testing?
Basic testing to check if the build is stable.
17. What is sanity testing?
Quick testing of a specific feature after small changes.
18. What is exploratory testing?
Testing without predefined test cases.
19. What is positive testing?
Testing with valid input.
20. What is negative testing?
Testing with invalid input.
21. What is severity?
Severity shows how serious the bug is.
22. What is priority?
Priority shows how urgently the bug should be fixed.
23. Difference between severity and priority?
Severity = impact, Priority = urgency.
24. What is UAT?
User Acceptance Testing done by end users.
25. What is test environment?
Hardware and software where testing is done.
26. What is retesting?
Testing the same bug after fix.
27. What is defect life cycle?
Stages of a bug from creation to closure.
28. What is boundary value analysis?
Testing values at minimum and maximum limits.
29. What is equivalence partitioning?
Dividing inputs into valid and invalid sets.
30. What is release testing?
Final testing before production release.
Scenario-Based Test Engineer Interview Questions for Freshers
31. How will you test a login page?
- Valid username and password
- Invalid username or password
- Blank fields
- Password masking
- Error message validation
32. What will you do if developer rejects your bug?
- Recheck the issue
- Share clear steps
- Attach screenshots or videos
- Explain expected vs actual result
33. How do you test a mobile application?
- App installation
- App launch
- Screen rotation
- Network changes
- App background/foreground
34. What if requirements are unclear?
- Ask questions
- Discuss with senior tester or BA
- Document assumptions
Sample Test Cases for Freshers
Login Test Case Example
| Test Case ID | Description | Steps | Expected Result |
| TC_01 | Valid login | Enter valid credentials | Login successful |
| TC_02 | Invalid login | Enter wrong password | Error message |
| TC_03 | Blank fields | Click login without input | Validation message |
Mobile App Test Case Example
| Scenario | Expected Result |
| Install app | App installs successfully |
| Launch app | App opens without crash |
| Rotate screen | UI adjusts properly |
API Test Case (Beginner Level)
| Scenario | Expected Result |
| Valid request | Status code 200 |
| Invalid request | Status code 400 |
| Unauthorized user | Status code 401 |
UI Test Case Example
| Scenario | Expected Result |
| Button click | Action performed |
| Text alignment | Proper alignment |
| Responsive UI | Works on all screen sizes |
Bug Report Writing Example for Freshers
Sample Bug Report Format
- Bug ID: BUG_102
- Title: Login button not responding
- Module: Login
- Environment: Chrome / Windows 10
- Severity: High
- Priority: High
Steps to Reproduce:
- Open login page
- Enter valid credentials
- Click Login
Expected Result: User should log in
Actual Result: Page does not respond
Tips to Answer Confidently in Test Engineer Interviews
- Understand basics clearly
- Answer in simple language
- Give real-time examples
- Be honest if you don’t know
- Revise definitions before interview
Quick Revision Sheet (Last-Minute Prep)
- Test engineer ensures quality
- Manual testing is best for freshers
- Test case = steps + expected result
- Bug = mismatch between expected and actual
- Severity = impact
- Priority = urgency
- Regression = re-testing after changes
FAQs – Test Engineer Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers
Q1. Is test engineer role good for freshers?
Yes, it is one of the easiest IT roles to start a career.
Q2. Do freshers need coding for testing?
Manual testing does not require coding.
Q3. Can a test engineer become automation engineer?
Yes, by learning automation tools.
Q4. Is testing a long-term career?
Yes, with growth into lead, automation, or QA manager roles.