Which of the following is a benefit of static testing?

It finds defects early, before dynamic testing begins — Static testing (reviews, static analysis) can find defects in requirements, design and code early — before code is executed — reducing cost of repair. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.1.1)

Which review type is the MOST formal?

Inspection — Inspections are the most formal type of review, following a defined process with entry/exit criteria, roles (moderator, author, reviewer, scribe), and metrics. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.2.2)

Who chairs an inspection meeting?

The moderator — The moderator (facilitator) leads the review meeting, ensures the process is followed, and mediates discussion. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.2.3)

Which of the following can NOT typically be found by static testing?

Runtime memory leaks that occur only under load — Static testing does not execute the code, so runtime behaviour such as load-dependent memory leaks or timing issues cannot be observed — those need dynamic testing. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.1.2)

A good user story should be:

Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, Testable (INVEST) — The INVEST criteria describe a good user story: Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, and Testable. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.3)

Which work product CANNOT be examined by static testing?

Executable code running under load — Static testing examines work products without executing them — the runtime behaviour of executing code under load is dynamic testing. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.1.1)

A key benefit of finding a defect via static testing rather than dynamic testing is:

It reduces the cost of fixing the defect because it is found earlier — Defects found early via static techniques cost less to fix than the same defects found later during dynamic testing or production. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.1.1)

Static analysis tools typically detect:

Coding standard violations, potential null-pointer dereferences, unreachable code — Static analysis tools inspect source code (or binaries) for coding standard violations, security weaknesses, and structural issues without executing the code. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.1.2)

Which activity is part of the review process?

Planning, initiation, review, communication and analysis, and fixing/reporting — The review process includes planning, initiation, individual review, issue communication/analysis, and fixing/reporting. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.2.1)

Which review type is characterised by group discussions led by the author, primarily for learning or gathering feedback?

Walkthrough — In a walkthrough, the author leads the group through the work product to explain it, obtain comments and share knowledge. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.2.2)

A technical review focuses primarily on:

Achieving technical consensus and evaluating quality — A technical review is a peer review that focuses on achieving consensus on the technical approach and detecting defects. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.2.2)

Which role in an inspection prepares the log of defects and issues raised?

Scribe — The scribe records issues, decisions and new risks raised during the inspection meeting. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.2.3)

Which of the following BEST describes the role of the author in a review?

Creates the work product being reviewed and is responsible for fixing agreed defects — The author writes the work product under review and is typically responsible for fixing the defects agreed during the review. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.2.3)

Which of the following is a success factor for a formal review?

Clear objectives and defined roles — Success factors include clear objectives, right people (roles), preparation, management support, and a defect-detection (not blame) mindset. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.2.4)

Which of the following is a typical defect found by static testing of requirements?

An ambiguous or missing requirement — Static reviews of requirements typically surface ambiguities, missing requirements, inconsistencies and testability issues. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.1.2)

A well-formed acceptance criterion in Given-When-Then must include:

A precondition (Given), an event (When) and an expected result (Then) — Gherkin acceptance criteria state the context (Given), the event or action (When) and the expected outcome (Then). (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.3)

Which is the MOST informal type of review?

Informal review — An informal review has no formal process, typically no documentation and results depend on the reviewers involved. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.2.2)

Which is a critical people factor for successful reviews?

Focus on defects, not on the author — Reviews succeed when the focus stays on defects in the work product and not on judging the author personally. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.2.4)

Which of the following BEST distinguishes static from dynamic testing?

Static testing examines work products without executing them; dynamic testing executes the software — The defining difference: static techniques examine work products without executing code; dynamic techniques run the software with test data. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.1.1)

Entry criteria for a formal review typically include:

Work product is stable, review objectives are clear, reviewers have time and skills — Entry criteria for a formal review include a sufficiently stable work product, clear objectives, and reviewers with the necessary time and knowledge. (CTFL v4.0 – Section 3.2.1)

ISTQB · CTFL v4.0 · Chapter 3

ISTQB Chapter 3 Sample Questions – Static Testing (CTFL v4.0 · 2026)

Chapter 3 covers static testing — examining work products without executing them. Topics include the benefits of static testing, review types (informal review, walkthrough, technical review, inspection), review roles and responsibilities, and static analysis of code.

Twenty CTFL v4.0-style questions below — tap any question to reveal the correct answer, a plain-English explanation and a syllabus reference. Key terms link through to the ISTQB glossary.

Static testing Review Walkthrough Inspection Static analysis