Chapter 3 – Static Testing
Control Flow Analysis – ISTQB Definition
Last Updated: July 12, 2026 · SoftwareTestPilot QA Team
Official ISTQB Definition
A form of static analysis based on a representation of unique paths through a component or system.
In simple words
Static analysis that maps every possible execution path to check for unreachable or infinite loops.
Exam tip
Control-flow analysis produces control-flow graphs used to compute cyclomatic complexity.
Related terms
- Static AnalysisTools scan source code, models or documents to find defects without running the software.
- Cyclomatic ComplexityA metric that counts branches in code — higher number means the code is harder to test.
- Data Flow AnalysisStatic-analysis technique that tracks where variables are set and read to find bugs like use-before-define.
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