ISTQB Foundation Level Glossary| Exam Questions with Correct Answers Verified by Experts|
Latest Update
Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) The activities performed at each stage in software
development, and how they relate to one another logically and chronologically.
Software Lifecycle The period of time that begins when a software product is conceived and
ends when the software is no longer available for use. The software lifecycle typically includes a
concept phase, requirements phase, design phase, implementation phase, test phase,
installation and checkout phase, operation and maintenance phase, and sometimes, retirement
phase. Note these phases may overlap or be performed iteratively.
Software Quality The totality of functionality and features of a software product that bear
on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs.
Specification A document that specifies, ideally in a complete, precise, verifiable manner,
the requirements, design, behavior, or other characteristics of a component or system, and,
often, the procedures for determining whether these provisions have been satisfied.
Stability The degree to which a component or system can be effectively and efficiently
modified without introducing defects or degrading existing product quality.
Standard Formal, possibly mandatory, set of requirements developed and used to prescribe
consistent approaches to the way of working or to provide guidelines (e.g., ISO/IEC standard,
IEEE standard, and organizational standard).
State (Transition) Diagram A diagram that depicts the states that a component or system
can assume, and shows the events or circumstances that cause and/or result from a change
from one state to another.
State Transition A transition between two states of a component or system.
,State Transition (Finite State) Testing A black-box test technique using a state transition
diagram or state table to derive test cases to evaluate whether the test item successfully
executes valid transitions and blocks invalid transitions.
(Source) Statement An entity in a programming language, which is typically the smallest
indivisible unit of execution.
Statement Coverage The percentage of executable statements that have been exercised by
a test suite.
Statement Testing A white-box test design technique in which test cases are designed to
execute statements.
Static Analysis The process of evaluating a component or system without executing it, based
on its form, structure, content, or documentation.
Static Testing Testing a work product without code being executed.
Structural Coverage Coverage measures based on the internal structure of a component or
system.
Stub A skeletal or special-purpose implementation of a software component, used to
develop or test a component that calls or is otherwise dependent on it. It replaces a called
component.
System A collection of interacting elements organized to accomplish a specific function or
set of functions.
System Integration Testing Testing an integrated system to verify that it meets specified
requirements.
, System Under Test (SUT) A type of test object that is a system.
Technical Review A formal review type by a team of technically-qualified personnel that
examines the suitability of a work product for its intended use and identifies discrepancies from
specifications and standards.
Test A set of one or more test cases.
Test Analysis The activity that identifies test conditions by analyzing the test basis.
Test Approach The implementation of the test strategy for a specific project. (It typically
includes the decisions made that follow based on the (test) project's goal and the risk
assessment carried out, starting points regarding the test process, the test design techniques to
be applied, exit criteria and test types to be performed.)
Test Automation The use of software to perform or support test activities, e.g. test
management, test design, test execution and results checking.
Test Basis The body of knowledge used as the basis for test analysis and design.
Test Case A set of preconditions, inputs, actions (where applicable), expected results and
postconditions, developed based on test conditions.
Test Case Specification Documentation of a set of one or more test cases.
Test Charter Documentation of test activities in session-based exploratory testing.
Latest Update
Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) The activities performed at each stage in software
development, and how they relate to one another logically and chronologically.
Software Lifecycle The period of time that begins when a software product is conceived and
ends when the software is no longer available for use. The software lifecycle typically includes a
concept phase, requirements phase, design phase, implementation phase, test phase,
installation and checkout phase, operation and maintenance phase, and sometimes, retirement
phase. Note these phases may overlap or be performed iteratively.
Software Quality The totality of functionality and features of a software product that bear
on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs.
Specification A document that specifies, ideally in a complete, precise, verifiable manner,
the requirements, design, behavior, or other characteristics of a component or system, and,
often, the procedures for determining whether these provisions have been satisfied.
Stability The degree to which a component or system can be effectively and efficiently
modified without introducing defects or degrading existing product quality.
Standard Formal, possibly mandatory, set of requirements developed and used to prescribe
consistent approaches to the way of working or to provide guidelines (e.g., ISO/IEC standard,
IEEE standard, and organizational standard).
State (Transition) Diagram A diagram that depicts the states that a component or system
can assume, and shows the events or circumstances that cause and/or result from a change
from one state to another.
State Transition A transition between two states of a component or system.
,State Transition (Finite State) Testing A black-box test technique using a state transition
diagram or state table to derive test cases to evaluate whether the test item successfully
executes valid transitions and blocks invalid transitions.
(Source) Statement An entity in a programming language, which is typically the smallest
indivisible unit of execution.
Statement Coverage The percentage of executable statements that have been exercised by
a test suite.
Statement Testing A white-box test design technique in which test cases are designed to
execute statements.
Static Analysis The process of evaluating a component or system without executing it, based
on its form, structure, content, or documentation.
Static Testing Testing a work product without code being executed.
Structural Coverage Coverage measures based on the internal structure of a component or
system.
Stub A skeletal or special-purpose implementation of a software component, used to
develop or test a component that calls or is otherwise dependent on it. It replaces a called
component.
System A collection of interacting elements organized to accomplish a specific function or
set of functions.
System Integration Testing Testing an integrated system to verify that it meets specified
requirements.
, System Under Test (SUT) A type of test object that is a system.
Technical Review A formal review type by a team of technically-qualified personnel that
examines the suitability of a work product for its intended use and identifies discrepancies from
specifications and standards.
Test A set of one or more test cases.
Test Analysis The activity that identifies test conditions by analyzing the test basis.
Test Approach The implementation of the test strategy for a specific project. (It typically
includes the decisions made that follow based on the (test) project's goal and the risk
assessment carried out, starting points regarding the test process, the test design techniques to
be applied, exit criteria and test types to be performed.)
Test Automation The use of software to perform or support test activities, e.g. test
management, test design, test execution and results checking.
Test Basis The body of knowledge used as the basis for test analysis and design.
Test Case A set of preconditions, inputs, actions (where applicable), expected results and
postconditions, developed based on test conditions.
Test Case Specification Documentation of a set of one or more test cases.
Test Charter Documentation of test activities in session-based exploratory testing.
