# pip install django
# django-admin startproject shop && cd shop && python manage.py startapp store

# store/views.py
from django.http import JsonResponse

def health(request):
    return JsonResponse({"status": "ok"})

# shop/urls.py
from django.urls import path
from store.views import health

urlpatterns = [path("health/", health)]
# python manage.py runserver → http://127.0.0.1:8000/health/

from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By

driver = webdriver.Chrome()
try:
    driver.get("http://127.0.0.1:8000/health/")
    body = driver.find_element(By.TAG_NAME, "body").text
    assert '"status": "ok"' in body
    print("health page test passed")
finally:
    driver.quit()

Shared foundation (do this first, either path)
☐ Python: data types, functions, classes, files
☐ HTML: tags, forms, attributes, ids and classes
☐ How the web works: request, response, status codes
☐ Git basics
☐ Browser DevTools: inspect elements, network tab

First 2 months — what feels hard
Selenium path:
- Locators that break when pages change
- Timing issues (needs explicit waits)
- Designing good test cases
Django path:
- Models, migrations and the ORM
- URLs, views and templates working together
- Authentication and forms

Weekend Selenium project
Target: a public demo shop built for testing practice
Tests:
  1. Valid login reaches products page
  2. Locked user sees error
  3. Add to cart updates badge
  4. Checkout requires first name
Structure: page objects + pytest
Done when: 4 tests pass reliably 3 runs in a row

Weekend Django project
App: personal notes
Features:
  1. Sign up and log in (Django auth)
  2. Create, edit, delete notes
  3. Each user sees only their notes
  4. Admin panel to view all notes
Done when: works locally with a README and screenshots

Interest check (tick what excites you)
☐ Finding edge cases where software breaks       → Selenium
☐ Making a page look and work right              → Django
☐ Writing checklists and test plans              → Selenium
☐ Designing database tables and APIs             → Django
☐ Making repetitive work automatic               → both
Count ticks per path.

Job post scan (your city, 20 posts)
Automation tester / QA with Selenium: ____
Python / Django developer: ____
Skills often listed with Selenium: ______________
Skills often listed with Django: ______________

Three-month plan
Month A: shared foundation (Python, HTML, HTTP, Git)
Month B: chosen path core (Selenium + pytest OR Django + SQL)
Month C: two portfolio projects + interview practice
Later: learn the basics of the other path