How is testing automated?

Question

Automation

Hello! I am a beginner tester. I am engaged in manual testing of the WEB platform. All that is included in my work is clicking on different links, setting up and checking different filters in the system, etc. That is, I check the actual execution of the program code, namely, the receipt of the result, which should be. I want to ask you - do all other manual testers in the world work like this? Or do I have such a strange principle of operation?
Another question (learning to become a professional (over time) in my work) is how automated testing is done. Everything is written on all the resources too complicated, with professional terminology, which they don’t even teach me at work and don’t tell me, telling me to do what I described above. So can anyone describe the automation process in a free language, for example, learn a certain programming language, download "such and such" program that will conduct the test, and a visual example of working and writing code in such a program. There is nothing like it on the Internet. Or am I missing something again?
P.S. Don't bomb me. I do not have a specialized education, but I am not a noob and not a schoolboy in handling a computer. The topic is very interesting and I want to grow in it.
Many thanks in advance for your help!

Answer 1

I would say that for a start you should read more deeply about the theory of testing as such.
If you are too lazy and do not want to collect information from the Internet in pieces, then take any book on software testing and read it.
Eg. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158053791X/ref=p... or https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471469122/ref=p...
Further, when in the head the understanding of how the testing itself takes place, what you expect to get as a result, and also where the greatest part of the problems arise in its process - there will be an understanding of how to automate.
What is an autotest:
Autotests is a code that, using special tools and libraries (eg Selenium and WebDriver for the web), simulates a certain scenario of user behavior and checks the result of these actions according to some criterion.
The task of the autotester is to write this code, describe the behavior scenario and the conditions for checking the result.
For this, you need basic programming skills, for some time it is painful to deal with the peculiarities of the work of autotesting tools, as well as a clear understanding of what and why you want to automate.
Resp. once you understand how the system works and what exactly you need to test - take any of the million guides in the search results "Test Automation Tutorial from Scratch" and proceed.

Answer 2

Many things.
Well, for example, start picking the word Selenium