Capture/playback
Capture/playback is a test automation approach that records user interactions with an application and replays them later as automated test scripts.
“A test automation approach in which inputs to a test object are recorded during manual testing to generate automated test scripts that can be executed later.”
(Definition reproduced from the ISTQB Glossary. Copyright belongs to ISTQB.)
View the complete ISTQB GlossaryWhat is Capture/playback?
Capture/playback tools allow testers to create automated tests without extensive programming by recording actions performed through the user interface.
Recording phase: User interactions are captured as executable scripts.
Playback phase: Recorded scripts are replayed to verify application behavior.
Advantages and limitations: Capture/playback is quick to start but recorded scripts often require maintenance as the application changes.
Real World Example
A regulated product team is preparing a release where Capture/playback appears in reviews, test design conversations, or defect triage rather than as an isolated glossary word.
The risk is that the team treats Capture/playback 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 Capture/playback and similar ideas.
The page becomes useful in practice because Capture/playback is connected to a specific testing decision, not memorized as a detached definition.
Practice Questions
Question 1
Which is the BIGGEST risk of capture/playback?
Question 2
Which practice MOST improves maintainability of recorded tests?
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