The evolution of test automation began with basic tools like Selenium IDE, AutoIt, and macro recorders. These tools allowed for recording and replaying actions, which served as a starting point for early automation tasks, such as covering frontend scenarios for a database project.
Transitioning to Selenium with Python enabled more complex testing, including the use of Page Object patterns, parameterization, and multi-threading. This approach allowed for covering over 90% of regression tests, though it required significant effort to maintain stability and manage compatibility with browser updates.
Later, the adoption of Cypress and JavaScript, followed by Playwright and TypeScript, streamlined the testing process. These frameworks offered faster setup and better integration, allowing for the reduction of regression testing time from one week to 40 minutes for over 2,000 scenarios.
The integration of AI and agent-based systems marked a new phase. Early experiments included building a Telegram bot using GPT-4 and Mistral APIs in 6 hours. While initial AI agents were prone to hallucinations and slow performance, they evolved into specialized tools for code reviewing and analyzing failed tests.
