Every week a new tool comes out promising to generate test cases in seconds, automate without writing code, or find bugs on its own. Some are really good. Others will disappear before you finish learning them. Meanwhile, the fundamentals of testing remain the same.
That's why there's a question worth asking: what is worth investing your learning time in? My answer, after more than 20 years in testing, is this: the fundamentals. They are the only thing that doesn't change.
Technology moves on, testing fundamentals stay
Think about everything that has changed in recent years: automation frameworks, management tools, ways of working and, now, artificial intelligence. But some things stay the same:
- Knowing what to test and why, prioritizing by risk.
- Designing test cases with techniques, not intuition.
- Understanding how a system communicates: APIs, databases, the browser.
- Reporting a defect clearly so it can be reproduced and fixed.
- Thinking critically about a result that “looks” correct.
Those who master these fundamentals learn any new tool in days. Those who only learned the tool have to start from scratch every time it changes.
AI generates a lot, but who evaluates what it generates?
Today an AI can give you 50 test cases in a second. The question is no longer whether it can generate them, but whether those cases are any good:
- Do they cover the highest-risk scenarios or just the happy path?
- Are there duplicate cases or cases that add nothing?
- Are boundary values and equivalence partitions respected?
- Does the automation code it generated actually validate anything, or does it just run steps?
To answer those questions you need judgment, and judgment is built on fundamentals. Without them, AI doesn't make you more productive: it makes you accept mistakes faster. With them, it becomes an incredible ally.
That's why training in testing doesn't lose value with AI. On the contrary, it gains value: the tester's role is shifting from producing to evaluating, and to evaluate, you need to know.
Where to start? A path to learn testing fundamentals
Whether you're just starting out or want to organize what you already know, this is the path I recommend:
1. Testing fundamentals
Start with Introduction to software testing. It is the foundation everything else rests on. If you also want to validate your knowledge with an international certification from ISTQB, continue with the preparation for the Foundation Level certification (CTFL).
2. The way of working
Methodologies are fundamentals too. Exploratory Testing to streamline your testing efforts. teaches you to explore with a strategy instead of at random, and Testing in agile contexts prepares you to work in agile teams.
3. Understanding how the system works under the hood
You don't need to be a developer, but you do need to understand what happens behind the screen: Database and SQL for testers, API Testing with Postman and Dev tools for testers.
4. Applying testing fundamentals to artificial intelligence
Once you have the fundamentals, apply them to what's new with Testing of artificial intelligence systems.
Save with the bundles
If you want to take several courses, the bundles are cheaper than buying them separately:
- Starter Bundle: Introduction to testing, Transform your CV, Exploratory testing and Testing in agile contexts.
- Agility Bundle: Testing in agile contexts, Exploratory testing and Test management with Xray.
- Technical Bundle: API Testing with Postman, Databases and SQL, and Dev Tools for testers.
- Foundation Level Certification Bundle: certification prep and worked solutions to sample exams.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have a discount coupon?
The courses are already discounted, but if you follow me on social media you know you can always use the coupon 20PORCIENTO, which gives you an extra 20% off courses and bundles.
Is the course here the same as the one on Udemy?
Yes. The content, videos and assignments are exactly the same.
Why is the duration longer here?
Because Udemy only counts video length. I also estimated the time it takes you to solve the exercises and put what you learned into practice, so you get a more realistic idea of how much time you'll need.
Is it better to take it here or on Udemy?
I recommend taking it here: it's cheaper and you get the same benefits. You buy it once and it's yours forever, and you get a certificate when you finish the course. Plus, you can pay in your local currency.
In short: testing fundamentals set you apart
Tools will keep changing, and AI will keep generating more and more. What will set you apart as a tester isn't knowing the trendy tool, but having the judgment to evaluate what they produce. And that judgment is built on solid fundamentals.
Shall we get started? Choose your course or bundle here and don't forget to use the coupon 20PORCIENTO.