QA Engineer Complete Roadmap
Your production-grade path from beginner to expert QA Engineer.
Usage
/qa-roadmap # Show full roadmap
/qa-roadmap --level=beginner # Filter by level
/qa-roadmap --phase=3 # Jump to specific phase
Phase 1: Foundations (Weeks 1-4)
Learning Objectives
- Understand QA fundamentals and principles
- Master testing types and methodologies
- Develop QA mindset and critical thinking
- Learn SDLC and QA's role in each phase
Topics Covered
| Topic | Agent | Duration | Priority |
|---|
| QA Fundamentals | 01-qa-fundamentals | Week 1 | Critical |
| Testing Types | 01-qa-fundamentals | Week 1 | Critical |
| SDLC & QA Role | 01-qa-fundamentals | Week 2 | High |
| QA Mindset | 01-qa-fundamentals | Week 2 | High |
| Test Documentation | 02-test-strategy | Week 3-4 | Medium |
Success Criteria
Exit Gate: Foundation Certified
requirements:
- Complete all foundation topics
- Pass foundation assessment (>80%)
- Create 10 valid test cases
- Report 5 bugs with proper documentation
Phase 2: Test Design (Weeks 5-7)
Learning Objectives
- Master test design techniques
- Create comprehensive test strategies
- Understand coverage analysis
- Implement risk-based testing
Topics Covered
| Topic | Agent | Duration | Priority |
|---|
| Test Planning | 02-test-strategy | Week 5 | Critical |
| Test Design Techniques | 02-test-strategy | Week 5-6 | Critical |
| Coverage Analysis | 02-test-strategy | Week 6 | High |
| Risk Assessment | 02-test-strategy | Week 7 | High |
Success Criteria
Exit Gate: Test Designer Certified
requirements:
- Create complete test strategy document
- Design test cases using all techniques
- Achieve 80% requirements coverage
- Risk assessment for 1 feature
Phase 3: Manual & Exploratory Testing (Weeks 8-9)
Learning Objectives
- Master manual testing execution
- Develop exploratory testing skills
- Learn session-based testing
- Improve bug hunting techniques
Topics Covered
| Topic | Agent | Duration | Priority |
|---|
| Manual Testing | 03-manual-exploratory | Week 8 | Critical |
| Exploratory Testing | 03-manual-exploratory | Week 8-9 | Critical |
| Session-Based Testing | 03-manual-exploratory | Week 9 | High |
| Bug Hunting | 03-manual-exploratory | Week 9 | High |
Success Criteria
Exit Gate: Manual Testing Expert
requirements:
- Execute 50+ test cases
- Complete 5 exploratory sessions
- Find 20+ valid bugs
- Create session reports
Phase 4: Test Automation (Weeks 10-15)
Learning Objectives
- Master test automation frameworks
- Learn Selenium, Cypress, Playwright
- Implement Page Object Model
- Build maintainable test suites
Topics Covered
| Topic | Agent | Duration | Priority |
|---|
| Selenium WebDriver | 04-automation | Week 10-11 | Critical |
| Cypress | 04-automation | Week 12 | Critical |
| Playwright | 04-automation | Week 13 | High |
| Mobile (Appium) | 04-automation | Week 14 | Medium |
| Framework Design | 04-automation | Week 15 | Critical |
Success Criteria
Exit Gate: Automation Engineer
requirements:
- Build automation framework from scratch
- Create 50+ automated tests
- Achieve 80% pass rate
- CI/CD integration working
Phase 5: API & Performance Testing (Weeks 16-19)
Learning Objectives
- Master REST and GraphQL API testing
- Learn performance testing fundamentals
- Use k6, JMeter for load testing
- Analyze performance metrics
Topics Covered
| Topic | Agent | Duration | Priority |
|---|
| REST API Testing | 05-api-performance | Week 16 | Critical |
| GraphQL Testing | 05-api-performance | Week 17 | High |
| Performance Basics | 05-api-performance | Week 18 | Critical |
| Load Testing | 05-api-performance | Week 18-19 | Critical |
| Performance Analysis | 05-api-performance | Week 19 | High |
Success Criteria
Exit Gate: API & Performance Specialist
requirements:
- Build API test framework
- Create performance test suite
- Run load test with 100+ VUs
- Generate performance report
Phase 6: CI/CD & Infrastructure (Weeks 20-22)
Learning Objectives
- Master CI/CD pipelines
- Learn Docker for testing
- Implement continuous testing
- Build test infrastructure
Topics Covered
| Topic | Agent | Duration | Priority |
|---|
| CI/CD Pipelines | 06-cicd | Week 20 | Critical |
| GitHub Actions | 06-cicd | Week 20 | Critical |
| Docker Testing | 06-cicd | Week 21 | High |
| Continuous Testing | 06-cicd | Week 21-22 | Critical |
| Infrastructure | 06-cicd | Week 22 | High |
Success Criteria
Exit Gate: DevOps QA Engineer
requirements:
- Working CI/CD pipeline
- Tests running in containers
- Quality gates configured
- Automated reporting
Phase 7: Advanced Topics (Weeks 23-26)
Learning Objectives
- Master security testing
- Implement QA metrics
- Develop leadership skills
- Drive quality culture
Topics Covered
| Topic | Agent | Duration | Priority |
|---|
| Security Testing | 07-advanced-leadership | Week 23 | Critical |
| OWASP Top 10 | 07-advanced-leadership | Week 23 | Critical |
| QA Metrics | 07-advanced-leadership | Week 24 | High |
| Team Leadership | 07-advanced-leadership | Week 25 | High |
| Quality Culture | 07-advanced-leadership | Week 26 | High |
Success Criteria
Exit Gate: QA Leader
requirements:
- Complete security assessment
- Implement metrics dashboard
- Create team training plan
- Process improvement initiative
Roadmap Summary
Week 1-4: [████████] Foundations
Week 5-7: [██████] Test Design
Week 8-9: [████] Manual Testing
Week 10-15: [████████████] Automation
Week 16-19: [████████] API & Performance
Week 20-22: [██████] CI/CD
Week 23-26: [████████] Advanced
Total: 26 weeks (6 months)
Quick Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|
/qa-path | Interactive path selection |
/qa-tools | Tool recommendations |
/qa-projects | Practice projects |
Troubleshooting
Issue: Stuck on a Topic
diagnosis:
1. Review prerequisites
2. Check recommended resources
3. Practice with simpler examples
4. Seek mentor guidance
solutions:
- Break into smaller steps
- Use additional resources
- Practice more
- Ask for help
Issue: Skill Gap
diagnosis:
1. Identify specific gap
2. Review earlier phases
3. Focus practice
solutions:
- Revisit foundation topics
- Extra practice projects
- Pair with experienced QA
Version History
| Version | Date | Changes |
|---|
| 2.1.0 | 2025-01 | Production-grade with troubleshooting |
| 2.0.0 | 2024-12 | SASMP v1.3.0 compliance |
| 1.0.0 | 2024-11 | Initial release |