Guide to Become a SDET- Software Developer in Test – Prime QA Solutions

As much as software developers are important, today, testers are equally important. A
developer may write high-quality code, but that needs to be verified by a tester. In recent times,
a new position has opened up in the tech domain, which is a blend of software developer and
tester. It is known as SDET, which stands for a Software developer in Test.

Whether you are a developer, or a tester, becoming an SDET can help you progress your
career significantly, and you can easily earn more money by mastering a few additional skills
apart from your core area. If you are looking to upskill and become an SDET in a large
company, this is the guide that will help you. As we go forward, we will break down and
understand everything about the SDET role and what skills are needed to become one. So let’s
get started by knowing more about the SDET role.

What is the SDET Role?

SDET is an abbreviation for Software Development Engineer in Test. It is a position that
combines the responsibilities of a software developer and a tester. Individuals in such jobs are
frequently involved in end-to-end product development and testing. In other words, these are
the developers that can test their own apps well as well as assist others in testing and providing
insights on application code.

This role came to light very recently, and it was introduced by Microsoft in pursuit of finding
better developers and reducing their dependency on hiring only developers or testers.

The demand for such developers is high, and before you become one, it is better to understand
the responsibilities of this role.

Responsibilities of an SDET

1. One of the most basic responsibilities of an SDET is to write high-quality code for all the
   projects and products they work on.
2. SDETs are required to test applications in multiple ways, and they are always testing
   applications built by them or others. They use different testing types ranging from unit
   testing to performance testing to ensure that the apps are ready to go live.
3. SDETs are often included in business meetings, and they are required to translate
   business problems into effective code that solves issues.
4. SDETs have to communicate with different business stakeholders at each stage of the
   development cycle and keep people updated on the task’s progress.
5. SDETs need to create software architecture and design scalable systems by
   collaborating with full-time developers and architects.

Having known about the responsibilities of an SDET, it would be best if we head over to the
guide on becoming an SDET. So let’s discuss the things that you need to be a great SDET in
your dream company.

Skills Required To Become An SDET

Programming Languages
A software developer in Test is required to code almost half of their time. If you are looking to
become an SDET, knowledge of programming languages is essential. A programming language
will help you build software and apps that solve business problems. The better you write code,
the more you are paid, and the better your career progression.

If you are switching to SDET from a full-fledged testing role, it is better to learn any object-
oriented programming languages like Java or Python. These two languages are used in almost
all software apps, and they are used heavily in backend development for scalable systems. You
can also learn JavaScript and NodeJS if your primary development focus is on building scalable
and innovative web apps.

Testing
SDETs spend the other half of their work testing apps built by them and their teams. If you are
becoming an SDET, you need to have extensive knowledge of testing apps. You need to learn
different testing types like manual testing, automation testing, unit testing, Security testing,

integration testing, Next Gen testing, load and performance testing, API testing,

stress testing, Function testing, etc.

Understanding of Software Development Lifecycle
Every software that is ever developed goes through an SDLC, and it is important to understand
SDLC processes to contribute effectively. Today most companies follow the agile development
methodology, and if you want to work on exciting and fast-moving projects, the knowledge of
agile processes is quite important.

Version Control Systems
Most SDETs take part in project development with multiple team members, and in such cases,
there needs to be a system that helps in storing and syncing everyone’s code. A version control
system does the same thing. It acts as a central repository and versioning system that helps in
tracking source code changes among team members.

You can create a remote repository where everyone pushes code from their version control
systems, and syncing and storing of the code happens there. The version control systems
provide an efficient way to merge changes and make sure that every team member has the
same codebase at all times. This reduces errors, build issues and also provides with a way to
manage code changes.

As an SDET, you should know how to use version control systems so that you can work with
larger development teams. Git is a widely used version control system, and you can learn it as it
is used at all major technology companies to manage source code.

Time Management
As an SDET, you’ll have to be a master time manager. In this role, you’ll perform the duties of
both a developer and a tester, and to fulfill expectations, you need to plan your day well and
manage tasks efficiently.

You cannot deliver well without time management, and even if you can deliver, it will only be for
some time. You can manage time by creating to-do lists, prioritizing essential items, and also
keep space for urgent tasks in your calendar.

To make time management even easier, you should focus on learning how to give accurate
estimates and timelines for the tasks you take up. Once you start giving the right timelines
according to your workload, you’ll feel at ease, and completing the tasks will not be a problem
as you’ve already considered the time you are utilizing elsewhere and the time you can dedicate
to the new task.

All the skills discussed above are essential in becoming a good SDET, and if you learn these
skills well, you can surely become a top-paying software developer in test.