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Software Tester (QA)

A way into tech without being a full-time coder: test apps and websites, write great bug reports, and automate tests with JavaScript and Playwright.

Beginner · 4 courses · 109 lessons · 28 h 18 min · Courses in order · Certificate on completion
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Find bugs before customers do

A way into tech without being a full-time coder: test apps and websites, write great bug reports, and automate tests with JavaScript and Playwright.

Free forever — like every pathway and course on Avro Academy: all lessons, quizzes, downloads and your certificates. Our promise

Who it's for

Detail-minded people who want a way into tech, and anyone interested in QA or software testing jobs.

What you'll be able to do

  • Plan and run tests, and write bug reports developers love
  • Read and write JavaScript
  • Automate browser tests with Playwright
  • Use Git like the rest of the team

The courses

  1. Software Testing Foundations: Find the Bugs — Start here
  2. JavaScript for Beginners: Code Your First Web Apps
  3. Git & GitHub for Beginners: Save, Share and Collaborate

Optional extras

How it works

  • Join once, and track your progress across every course in one place, under My learning
  • Take the courses in order: each one opens when you finish the one before.
  • 3 required courses, about 21 hours in total — at your own pace
  • You get a certificate for each course, and a pathway certificate when you finish them all
  • Completely free

Courses in this pathway

Take these in order: each course opens when the required one before it is complete.

  1. Software Testing Foundations: Find the Bugs
    28 lessons · 8 h 20 min

    Start here

    Not started
    Lessons (0 of 28 done)

    Module 1: Meet software testing

    • What software testers do15 min
    • How software gets tested20 min
    • Meet the practice app20 min
    • Module 1 quiz5 min

    Module 2: Designing tests

    • Reading requirements and asking questions20 min
    • Writing test cases25 min
    • Boundaries, partitions and decision tables25 min
    • Module 2 quiz5 min

    Module 3: Exploratory testing

    • What exploratory testing is15 min
    • Heuristics and tours20 min
    • Run a test session25 min
    • Module 3 quiz5 min

    Module 4: Reporting bugs

    • Writing a good bug report25 min
    • Severity and priority15 min
    • Reproduce, isolate and gather evidence25 min
    • Module 4 quiz5 min

    Module 5: Beyond "it works"

    • Phones, browsers and usability20 min
    • Accessibility testing25 min
    • Security and data: a tester's mindset20 min
    • Module 5 quiz5 min

    Module 6: Testing in a team

    • Test plans and risk20 min
    • Regression, smoke tests and reports20 min
    • Testing in an agile team20 min
    • Module 6 quiz5 min

    Module 7: Automating tests with Playwright

    • Set up Playwright and your first test30 min
    • Locators, assertions and testing requirements30 min
    • Run, read the results, and what's next30 min
    • Module 7 and final quiz5 min
  2. JavaScript for Beginners: Code Your First Web Apps
    34 lessons · 7 h 41 min
    Opens when the course before it is complete
    Lessons (0 of 34 done)

    Module 1: Getting started

    • What JavaScript is — and what you can build10 min
    • Setting up: the browser console and VS Code15 min
    • Your first program15 min
    • Reading error messages12 min
    • Module 1 quiz5 min

    Module 2: Values and variables

    • Variables: let and const15 min
    • Numbers and maths15 min
    • Strings: working with text15 min
    • Booleans, comparisons and converting types15 min
    • Module 2 quiz5 min

    Module 3: Making decisions

    • Making decisions with if and else15 min
    • Combining conditions: and, or, not15 min
    • Module 3 quiz5 min

    Module 4: Arrays and loops

    • Arrays: lists of data15 min
    • Loops: doing things again and again15 min
    • Array methods: map, filter and find15 min
    • Module 4 quiz5 min

    Module 5: Functions

    • Functions: reusable blocks of code18 min
    • Arrow functions, defaults and scope15 min
    • Project: shift pay calculator (console version)20 min
    • Module 5 quiz5 min

    Module 6: Objects and data

    • Objects: grouping related data15 min
    • Arrays of objects: working with real data18 min
    • JSON: saving and sharing data12 min
    • Module 6 quiz5 min

    Module 7: JavaScript in the browser

    • The DOM: JavaScript meets the web page18 min
    • Events: responding to clicks and typing18 min
    • Project: shift pay calculator web app25 min
    • Project: a to-do list that remembers30 min
    • Module 7 quiz5 min

    Module 8: Debugging and next steps

    • Debugging like a developer15 min
    • Using AI coding assistants responsibly15 min
    • Next steps: your portfolio and where to go from here15 min
    • Module 8 and final quiz5 min
  3. Git & GitHub for Beginners: Save, Share and Collaborate
    23 lessons · 4 h 47 min
    Opens when the course before it is complete
    Lessons (0 of 23 done)

    Module 1: Meet Git and GitHub

    • What Git and GitHub are10 min
    • Your GitHub account, set up safely15 min
    • Your first repository, on the website15 min
    • Module 1 quiz5 min

    Module 2: Git on your computer

    • Install Git and set it up15 min
    • Your first commits20 min
    • Seeing changes and writing good messages15 min
    • Undo mistakes and ignore files15 min
    • Module 2 quiz5 min

    Module 3: Working with GitHub

    • Connect to GitHub and push20 min
    • Pull and clone15 min
    • GitHub Desktop and VS Code12 min
    • Module 3 quiz5 min

    Module 4: Branches

    • Branches: a safe place to try ideas15 min
    • Merge conflicts — and how to fix them20 min
    • Module 4 quiz5 min

    Module 5: Collaborating

    • Pull requests20 min
    • Issues, forks and contributing15 min
    • Module 5 quiz5 min

    Module 6: Show your work

    • Publish your portfolio with GitHub Pages15 min
    • A GitHub profile employers notice12 min
    • Next steps8 min
    • Module 6 and final quiz5 min
  4. Networking Fundamentals: How the Internet Works
    Optional · 24 lessons · 7 h 30 min

    Helps you test apps that talk over the network

    Opens when the course before it is complete
    Lessons (0 of 24 done)

    Module 1: How networks work

    • What a network is15 min
    • The journey of a web page20 min
    • Your network lab25 min
    • Module 1 quiz5 min

    Module 2: Addresses

    • IP addresses25 min
    • Subnets and gateways25 min
    • DHCP, MAC addresses and IPv625 min
    • Module 2 quiz5 min

    Module 3: Names and ports

    • DNS: the internet's phone book25 min
    • Ports, TCP and UDP25 min
    • HTTP and HTTPS20 min
    • Module 3 quiz5 min

    Module 4: Home and office networks

    • Modems, routers, switches and access points20 min
    • Wi-Fi20 min
    • Setting up a small network safely25 min
    • Module 4 quiz5 min

    Module 5: Troubleshooting

    • A troubleshooting method20 min
    • The tools on your computer25 min
    • Common problems and fixes25 min
    • Module 5 quiz5 min

    Module 6: Fix the lab

    • Lab faults: the gateway and DNS30 min
    • Lab faults: the firewall and the server30 min
    • Capstone and next steps20 min
    • Module 6 and final quiz5 min