Testing
Testing is the process of evaluating software to determine whether it satisfies specified requirements and behaves as expected.
“The process within the software development lifecycle that evaluates the quality of a component or system and related work products.”
(Definition reproduced from the ISTQB Glossary. Copyright belongs to ISTQB.)
View the complete ISTQB GlossaryWhat is Testing?
Testing provides information about software quality by executing tests, identifying defects, reducing risks, and supporting informed release decisions.
Quality evaluation: Verifies expected behavior.
Risk reduction: Helps identify defects before release.
Decision support: Provides information about product quality.
Real World Example
A regulated product team is preparing a release where Testing appears in reviews, test design conversations, or defect triage rather than as an isolated glossary word.
The risk is that the team treats Testing 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 Testing and similar ideas.
The page becomes useful in practice because Testing is connected to a specific testing decision, not memorized as a detached definition.
Practice Questions
Question 1
Which statement BEST describes Testing in the context of ISTQB terminology?
Question 2
A tester needs to explain Testing to a non‑technical stakeholder. Which approach is MOST appropriate?
Test your knowledge with real ISTQB-style questions
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