Driver
A driver is a temporary software component used during component or integration testing to call and control another component that is being tested.
“A component or tool that temporarily replaces another component and controls or calls a test item in isolation.”
(Definition reproduced from the ISTQB Glossary. Copyright belongs to ISTQB.)
View the complete ISTQB GlossaryWhat is Driver?
Drivers simulate higher-level modules that are not yet available, allowing lower-level components to be tested independently.
Test support: Drivers provide input and receive output from the component under test.
Development aid: They enable early testing before complete system integration.
Relationship to stubs: Drivers simulate calling components, while stubs simulate called components.
Real World Example
A regulated product team is preparing a release where Driver appears in reviews, test design conversations, or defect triage rather than as an isolated glossary word.
The risk is that the team treats Driver as interchangeable with nearby ISTQB terms. That makes test scope blurry and can lead to weak evidence for the release decision.
The tester anchors the discussion in the official definition, asks where the concept appears in the product, and designs examples that show the difference between Driver and similar ideas.
The page becomes useful in practice because Driver is connected to a specific testing decision, not memorized as a detached definition.
Practice Questions
Question 1
Which statement BEST describes Driver in the context of ISTQB terminology?
Question 2
A tester needs to explain Driver to a non‑technical stakeholder. Which approach is MOST appropriate?
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