Tech Talk: Intro to Best Practices of Automated Testing, Part 1` The automation pyramid is a framework for thinking about test automation, consisting of three layers: the unit layer at the bottom, where most tests should be written; the service layer in the middle, requiring a balanced amount of tests; and the UI layer at the top, with the fewest tests. The concept aims to encourage developers to focus on writing high-quality code by applying test automation principles, such as giving descriptive names to classes or deleting unnecessary lines of code. This approach helps maintain clean code quality, which is essential for improving software development.