Test-first Approach
A test-first approach is a development practice in which tests are created before implementing the corresponding software functionality.
“An approach to software development in which the test cases are designed and implemented before the associated component or system is developed.”
(Definition reproduced from the ISTQB Glossary. Copyright belongs to ISTQB.)
View the complete ISTQB GlossaryWhat is Test-first Approach?
Creating tests first helps clarify requirements, improve design, and verify functionality as development progresses.
Early validation: Testing guides development.
Requirement clarification: Tests define expected behavior.
Supports quality: Encourages better software design.
Real World Example
A regulated product team is preparing a release where Test-first approach appears in reviews, test design conversations, or defect triage rather than as an isolated glossary word.
The risk is that the team treats Test-first approach 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 Test-first approach and similar ideas.
The page becomes useful in practice because Test-first approach is connected to a specific testing decision, not memorized as a detached definition.
Practice Questions
Question 1
Which statement BEST describes Test-first approach in the context of ISTQB terminology?
Question 2
A tester needs to explain Test-first approach to a non‑technical stakeholder. Which approach is MOST appropriate?
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