Condition Testing
Condition testing is a white-box test technique that verifies each individual Boolean condition within a decision to ensure it behaves correctly.
“A white-box test technique in which test conditions are outcomes of atomic conditions.”
(Definition reproduced from the ISTQB Glossary. Copyright belongs to ISTQB.)
View the complete ISTQB GlossaryWhat is Condition Testing?
Condition testing focuses on evaluating every condition in a decision independently by exercising both true and false outcomes wherever possible.
Individual conditions: Each Boolean expression is tested separately rather than only the overall decision.
Coverage improvement: Condition testing provides greater confidence in complex decision logic.
Relationship to structural testing: It complements branch and statement testing by focusing on decision conditions.
Real World Example
A travel platform is changing its refund policy for cancelled flights, with different outcomes depending on ticket type, cancellation time, loyalty status, and airline disruption reason.
No single happy-path test can cover the combinations. Condition testing helps the tester see which conditions must be varied together and which outcomes should result.
The tester maps the policy into compact rules, removes impossible combinations, and designs cases that prove each meaningful refund decision is handled correctly.
The team avoids contradictory refund behavior because Condition testing makes hidden rule combinations visible before customers start cancelling trips.
Practice Questions
Question 1
Which statement BEST describes Condition testing in the context of ISTQB terminology?
Question 2
A tester needs to explain Condition testing to a non‑technical stakeholder. Which approach is MOST appropriate?
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