Start by getting comfortable with one language — JavaScript or TypeScript is the most common choice for Playwright — then learn HTML, CSS and DOM basics so you can write reliable locators. From there, write your first UI test and gradually move to assertions, fixtures, the Page Object Model, parallel execution and CI integration with GitHub Actions or Jenkins. If you have never written a single test before, that same path is also how to start Playwright automation from scratch: set up Node.js and VS Code, get one simple test running, and build two or three framework projects on GitHub rather than only watching videos.

If you are disciplined, free documentation and videos can take you far, but many learners lose weeks hopping between random content. A structured Playwright automation tutorial for beginners from scratch, or a full course with a framework project, code reviews and doubt-clearing, compresses the learning curve and gives you a portfolio-ready project that recruiters actually check on GitHub. Judge any course by whether it includes real framework building, CI/CD and reporting — not just recorded lectures.

Playwright automation testing means using Microsoft's open-source Playwright framework to automate web browsers for end-to-end testing. It supports Chromium, Firefox and WebKit from a single API, auto-waits for elements to reduce flaky tests, and lets you test UI flows and APIs in the same script, which is why many QA teams in India are adopting it alongside or instead of Selenium.

Expect questions on Playwright vs Selenium, locator strategies, auto-waiting and handling flakiness, working with iframes, dropdowns and alerts, the Page Object Model, fixtures, parallel and cross-browser execution, screenshots and trace-based debugging, storageState for login reuse, API testing through the request context, and CI integration. Interviewers also ask you to explain your own framework's architecture, so be ready to defend the choices you made in your projects.

REST API automation testing is the practice of validating REST endpoints through code instead of testing them manually — you assert status codes, response bodies, headers, authentication behaviour and response times on every build. It is a core SDET skill because backend issues can be caught cheaply without the UI, and tools like Rest Assured, Postman with Newman, and Playwright's request context make it part of the regular regression suite.

Begin with HTTP fundamentals — methods, status codes, headers and JSON — then practise manual requests in Postman. Next, pick one code-based tool that matches your stack, most commonly Rest Assured if you work in Java or Playwright's request context if you are on JavaScript or TypeScript, and learn assertions, request chaining, token-based authentication, data-driven tests and reporting. Finish with a small framework on GitHub hooked to a CI pipeline, and use free public practice APIs so you can experiment safely.

Build a collection for the endpoints you want to cover, write assertions in JavaScript using pm.test and pm.response to check status codes, response time and body fields, and manage environments and tokens through variables. Then run the collection with the Collection Runner or Newman so the same suite executes from the command line and inside CI, optionally passing CSV or JSON data files for data-driven runs. Postman is excellent for getting started quickly, though most teams eventually add a code-based framework for larger suites.

Interviewers commonly ask about status codes, the difference between PUT and PATCH, idempotency, what to validate in a response, handling authentication tokens, request chaining, JSON schema validation, response-time assertions, data-driven testing, and the difference between tools like Postman and Rest Assured. For experienced candidates, expect design questions on building an API framework from scratch and integrating it into a CI/CD pipeline.

Start with Postman because you can pick it up in days and it teaches you API fundamentals fast. After that, choose one code-based tool based on your language and the job market you are targeting — Rest Assured for Java-heavy QA roles, or Playwright's built-in request context if you are already doing UI automation in JavaScript or TypeScript. Depth in one tool with a working framework project beats listing five tools on your resume.

Yes. Playwright has built-in request handling that lets you call REST APIs, send headers and tokens, and assert status codes and JSON responses directly in your tests. The biggest advantage is that you can combine UI and API steps in one test — for example, create test data through an API and then verify the UI flow — which makes API automation testing using Playwright a genuine option for full-stack test automation.

At that level, interviews go beyond tool syntax — expect framework architecture and design decisions, coding rounds with string and array problems, core Java or TypeScript concepts, API framework design, BDD with Cucumber, parallel execution, CI/CD and debugging flaky tests. Prepare impact stories with numbers, such as how much you improved regression coverage or release stability, because experienced rounds weigh real outcomes heavily.

Use a structured pattern: clarify the requirement, list positive, negative and edge scenarios, explain what you would automate and why, then cover locators and waits, test data handling, reporting and keeping the suite stable in CI. Practise on classic scenarios like automating a login with OTP, handling dynamic elements, verifying file downloads, or fixing a test that passes locally but fails in the pipeline — thinking aloud clearly matters as much as the final answer.

Product-based companies test coding depth, so build DSA fundamentals — arrays, strings, hashmaps and basic dynamic programming — and write clean, readable code in your primary language. Beyond coding, they probe framework design, automation strategy and trade-off reasoning, so review your own projects end to end and be ready to justify every tool choice. Reading past interview experiences shared by candidates and doing mock interviews is the most reliable preparation for these rounds.

Pick one language and stick to it, learn one UI automation tool such as Playwright or Selenium plus one API tool, and then convert a manual regression suite you already know into an automated framework with version control and CI. That project becomes proof of skill for recruiters, so update your resume and LinkedIn to highlight it with concrete outcomes. With consistent daily practice, most manual testers can make the transition in three to six months.

Lead with a sharp summary naming your stack — for example, SDET with Playwright, Rest Assured and CI/CD experience — then list projects with the framework you built, tools used and measurable results like reduced execution time or improved coverage. Mirror keywords from each job description so ATS filters pick up your resume, keep your GitHub and LinkedIn consistent with it, and avoid listing tools you cannot discuss confidently in an interview.