User interface testing has always been a little weird. Such tests aren't always easy to pull off, but if ignored, the risk is a bad experience for the very people our apps are supposed to serve. As development practices have evolved -- from source control, to automated builds, through suites of unit and integration tests -- we've gotten pretty good at stringing together checks that run quietly in the background. UI tests, however, have never fit quite as comfortably into that pattern.

The tools have gotten better, but technology alone doesn't make a good test suite. There are amazing ways to bring the browser to life, but how do you design tests that can adapt as your application changes, and how do you get them into your development cycle?

In this session, we'll use different frameworks and approaches to automate the same browser scenario, with technologies like Playwright and Selenium, and examples using Python and .NET. Along the way, we'll separate the mechanics of browser automation from the decisions that make it useful and maintainable. You'll leave with practical techniques for building UI tests that remain flexible over time and making them a reliable part of continuous integration.

This session is intended for an intermediate technical audience looking to move to the next level of maintainable, scalable UI test automation. Experience with browser testing, BDD, and/or DevOps is helpful but not required. This session has been presented previously in an earlier version and has been updated for this submission with a newer technology stack.

All of my sessions are designed to encourage audience participation (to the extent possible given the specific venue), with planned discussion points throughout to keep attendees engaged. I am an experienced conference speaker, with prior appearances at CodeMash, Agile2019, Stir Trek, and other regional technology conferences. The focus of my sessions is on practical instruction combined with an engaging, audience-centered delivery style. No special technical requirements beyond standard presentation capabilities.