QA automation tutorials, patterns, and field notes
Tutorials and patterns from shipping production test frameworks. Playwright, Cypress, Selenium, API testing, CI/CD.
##Latest posts
The QA pyramid is dead. Here's what senior SDETs actually build in 2026.
The classic 70/20/10 testing pyramid was written for 2003. Modern web apps with API-first architectures and component frameworks need a different shape — here's what works on real projects.
Jun 3, 2026
REST Assured vs Playwright API testing: when to use which in 2026
Both are great. Both can do everything the other does. Here's an honest decision framework — by team composition, test scope, and how API tests fit into your CI pipeline.
Jun 3, 2026
Selenium Grid 4 on a budget: parallel cross-browser runs with Docker Compose
A working Docker Compose setup that runs Selenium Grid 4 with Chrome, Firefox, and Edge nodes locally and in CI — sharded across 12 parallel sessions for under $0.10 a run.
Jun 3, 2026
Cypress 14 vs Playwright in 2026: an honest SDET's side-by-side
Two decades of test automation experience, both kits running in production. The real differences in parallelism, network control, debugging, CI cost, and which one to pick when a team can only choose one.
Jun 3, 2026
Azure DevOps test pipelines: a complete YAML walkthrough
The full YAML for a sharded, cached, properly reporting Playwright pipeline on Azure DevOps — with explanations of every line and the .NET variant.
Jun 3, 2026
Allure reporting with Playwright (2026 guide)
How to wire Allure into a Playwright test suite locally and in CI — config, labels, history, categories, and the gotchas nobody mentions.
Jun 3, 2026