Testing Essentials Certification

Prove You Have 8 Software Testing Skills
and Get on the Official U.S. List

AT*SQA Testing Essentials Certification

Optional training just $7.99/month

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AT*SQA Testing Essentials certification is designed for your entire software development team. It gives everyone 8 essentials of software testing in one certification:

  1. Test Approaches
  2. Testing Techniques
  3. Test Automation
  4. Performance Testing
  5. Cybersecurity Testing
  6. Usability Testing
  7. IoT and Mobile Testing
  8. DevOps Testing

Want to cover these topics in smaller pieces? You can instead get the AT*SQA Software Testing Micro-Credentials! Plus, when you earn all 8 micro-credentials for the topics above, you'll automatically also receive the AT*SQA Testing Essentials Certification!

Bonus: We will add you to the Official U.S. List of Certified & Credentialed Software Testers™ when you pass AT*SQA Testing Essentials!

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How Do I Prepare for the AT*SQA Testing Essentials Exam?

It's your choice! There is no required training.

If you prefer to take a training course, our economical AT*Learn course will help you prepare for the exam. AT*Learn is just $7.99 per month or $79 per year. Learn more about AT*Learn and begin preparing for the AT*SQA Testing Essentials certification exam right now.

We also recommend these free resources whether you take a course or self-study for AT*SQA Testing Essentials certification:

Syllabus (Body of Knowledge) Sample Exam Sample Exam Answers

Why Should I Get the Testing Essentials (AT*Essentials™) Certification?

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AT*SQA Testing Essentials certification is the perfect complement to ISTQB and ASTQB software testing certifications. AT*SQA Testing Essentials certification:

  • Builds broad, essential quality knowledge among your entire development team, from full-time testers to DevOps team members, to developers.
  • Provides an introduction to key testing areas such as test automation, performance testing, cybersecurity testing, and usability testing, making it a great first step if you wish to take other certifications.
  • Adds you to the Official U.S. List of Certified Testers™ used by American employers. (While it's not important to American employers, if you wish to also appear on the ISTQB SCR, you must pass one of the ISTQB certification exams offered by AT*SQA.)
  • Can be kept up to date with our flexible, no-hassle recertification that helps you and your team automatically stay on the cutting edge.
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Who Needs AT*SQA Testing Essentials?

Everyone who contributes to software quality needs AT*SQA Testing Essentials certification, not just those who consider themselves full-time software testers, including:

  • Scrum team members
  • Test Automation Engineers
  • Performance Test Engineers
  • Developers
  • Business Analysts (BAs)
  • Software Specialists
  • DevOps Team Members
  • Test Engineers

When everyone on your team understands the essentials of software testing, it leads to better communication, shared principles, and improved software quality.


AT*SQA Testing Essentials Body of Knowledge

Below is an outline of the AT*Essentials body of knowledge.

Introduction to Software Testing

  • What is Software Testing
  • A Brief History
  • Structured Testing
  • The Role of a Tester

Test Approaches

  • Introduction
  • Testing Levels
  • Software Development Lifecycles
  • Product Type
  • Documentation Requirements and Availability
  • Risk
  • Schedule and Budget
  • Maturity and Ability of the Team

Testing Techniques

  • Introduction
  • Partitions and Boundaries
  • Decision Tables
  • Combinatorial
  • Exploratory Testing
  • API Testing
  • Picking the Best Technique

Test Automation

  • Introduction
  • Selecting Test Automation Candidates
  • Building Maintainable Test Automation Software
  • Benefits of Automated Testing
  • Test Automation Risks
  • Test Automation Success Factors
  • Test Automation Tools

Performance Testing

  • Introduction
  • The Purpose of Performance Testing
  • Performance Testing Risks, Benefits, and Challenges
  • Performance Testing Approach
  • Conducting Performance Testing
  • Performance Test and Analysis Tools

Cybersecurity Testing

  • Introduction
  • The Purpose of Cybersecurity Testing
  • Cybersecurity Differences
  • Cybersecurity Testing Approaches
  • Conducting Cybersecurity Testing
  • The Environment of Constant Change

Usability Testing

  • Introduction
  • Focusing the Usability Testing
  • Usability Test Participants
  • Usability Test Planning and Design
  • Scheduling and Conducting the Tests
  • Standards
  • Accessibility

IoT and Mobile Testing

  • Introduction
  • IoT and Mobile
  • Environments and Tools
  • Quality Characteristics
  • Lightweight Testing

DevOps Testing

  • Introduction
  • The DevOps Pipeline
  • DevOps Testing
  • The Role of Automation in DevOps Testing

Exam Format: AT*SQA Testing Essentials

The exam consists of 65 questions. Test takers have 120 minutes to complete the exam. Note: If English is not your native language, you qualify for a time extension of 25%, so you will have 150 minutes in that case.

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Questions About AT*SQA Exams?

We're happy to assist with any of your questions. Start with our helpful FAQ and then contact us if you still need assistance.

Learn about flexible recertification options so you can demonstrate ongoing competency.

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