Testing mode Features and test data can change before launch.
qa.cafe
BeginnerFoundations

IT Fundamentals for Digital Teams

Build technical skills for QA and digital product teamwork. Follow explained examples, inspect sample evidence, and prepare a release recommendation for a fictional ticket service. No programming experience or company system access is required.

Technical literacySystems thinkingWeb and API fundamentalsData fundamentalsSoftware deliveryCloud and security awarenessCross-functional communication
Learning outcomes

What you’ll be able to do.

01

Explain common IT concepts in clear, simple language

02

Follow a user action across a browser, API, application, and database

03

Use technical evidence in planning and delivery discussions

04

Recognize environments, builds, deployments, logs, and common operational risks

05

Ask useful questions about requirements, quality, data, integrations, and security

06

Read simple code, JSON, SQL, Git diffs, and technical evidence without needing to be a developer

Curriculum

10 focused modules.

66 lessons total
01Devices, files, and the first system mapConnect everyday computer use to a customer action.
  1. ↳Welcome to IT Fundamentals for Digital TeamsLesson
  2. ↳Hardware, software, firmware, and dataLesson
  3. ↳How a computer receives input and produces outputLesson
  4. ↳Files, formats, file sizes, and character encodingLesson
  5. ↳Following one action through a digital systemLesson
  6. ↳What Windows, macOS, and Linux doLesson
  7. ↳Files, folders, paths, extensions, and permissionsLesson
  8. ↳Applications, processes, memory, and resource usageLesson
  9. ↳What a terminal is and how commands workLesson
02Programs and application componentsRead simple instructions and explain how application parts cooperate.
  1. ↳What a programming language isLesson
  2. ↳Variables, values, types, lists, and objectsLesson
  3. ↳Conditions, repetition, functions, and algorithmsLesson
  4. ↳How code is organized, executed, and debuggedLesson
  5. ↳Source code, libraries, frameworks, and dependenciesLesson
  6. ↳Frontend, backend, client, and serverLesson
  7. ↳Layers, monoliths, modules, and microservicesLesson
  8. ↳State, caching, queues, and eventsLesson
03Networks, browsers, and web requestsTrace communication from an address to a visible page.
  1. ↳What a network isLesson
  2. ↳Routers, firewalls, proxies, VPNs, and load balancersLesson
  3. ↳DNS, TCP, and TLS as one journeyLesson
  4. ↳Speed, delay, and connection troubleshootingLesson
  5. ↳What happens after entering a website addressLesson
  6. ↳HTTP requests, responses, methods, and status codesLesson
  7. ↳HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and the DOMLesson
  8. ↳Cookies, sessions, storage, caching, and CORSLesson
04APIs and stored dataConnect program exchanges to records, rules, and integrity.
  1. ↳What an API is and why applications use APIsLesson
  2. ↳REST, JSON, parameters, headers, and responsesLesson
  3. ↳API keys, tokens, authentication, and permissionsLesson
  4. ↳SOAP, GraphQL, webhooks, versions, and limitsLesson
  5. ↳Why databases existLesson
  6. ↳Tables, rows, columns, keys, and relationshipsLesson
  7. ↳Schemas, constraints, indexes, and data typesLesson
  8. ↳CRUD, queries, transactions, and data qualityLesson
05Environments and source changesIdentify the software, configuration, and change history behind evidence.
  1. ↳Local development, test, staging, and productionLesson
  2. ↳Configuration, secrets, and feature flagsLesson
  3. ↳Builds, packages, artifacts, and versionsLesson
  4. ↳Why software differs between environmentsLesson
  5. ↳Why version control existsLesson
  6. ↳Repositories, commits, branches, and tagsLesson
  7. ↳Merges, conflicts, pull requests, and reviewsLesson
  8. ↳Reading a code change without being a developerLesson
06Requirements and teamworkTurn a product need into shared delivery decisions.
  1. ↳From an idea to an operating productLesson
  2. ↳Predictive, iterative, and incremental deliveryLesson
  3. ↳Scrum responsibilities, events, and artifactsLesson
  4. ↳Kanban, estimates, dependencies, and trade-offsLesson
  5. ↳Problems, goals, users, stakeholders, and scopeLesson
  6. ↳Functional requirements, rules, and constraintsLesson
  7. ↳Non-functional requirements with real examplesLesson
  8. ↳Stories, use cases, acceptance criteria, and traceabilityLesson
07Testing and quality evidenceChoose checks and communicate what their results establish.
  1. ↳Quality, risk, verification, and validationLesson
  2. ↳Test levels and common types of testingLesson
  3. ↳Manual testing, automation, and their strengthsLesson
  4. ↳Defects, triage, release decisions, and metricsLesson
08Builds and deliveryFollow a change through automated checks and controlled release.
  1. ↳Build, test, package, and deployment pipelinesLesson
  2. ↳Automated checks and quality gatesLesson
  3. ↳Feature flags, rollback, and deployment strategiesLesson
  4. ↳Infrastructure as code, containers, and orchestrationLesson
09Cloud services and operationsConnect hosting choices, service signals, and recovery.
  1. ↳On-premises systems and cloud computingLesson
  2. ↳SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, virtual machines, and serverlessLesson
  3. ↳Regions, scaling, availability, and costLesson
  4. ↳Logs, metrics, traces, alerts, incidents, and recoveryLesson
10Security and the complete product journeyProtect the product boundaries and bring the evidence together.
  1. ↳Threats, risk, and the goals of securityLesson
  2. ↳Authentication, authorization, and least privilegeLesson
  3. ↳Encryption, hashing, secrets, privacy, and common attacksLesson
  4. ↳Capstone: follow one feature from idea to productionLesson
  5. ↳Final review and next stepsLesson
Continue exploring

Related courses

All courses →
Foundations Beginner

A Short History of Computing

Explore the ideas, machines, and people that connect early calculation to personal computers, the Internet, mobile devices, cloud services, and AI.

Computing history Historical comparisons Key computing contributors
16 lessons3 hours
Foundations Beginner

Basic Math Foundations

Refresh essential arithmetic, binary, hexadecimal, algebra, functions, geometry, trigonometry, logic, probability, and statistics.

Arithmetic Binary and hexadecimal Algebra
18 lessons16 hours
Foundations Beginner

Manual Testing — Introduction to the QA World

Design and perform manual tests, investigate failures, and write clear defect reports and release recommendations.

Manual testing Test design Defect reporting
34 lessons30 hours