Chapter 6 – Test Tools
Data-Driven Testing – ISTQB Definition
Last Updated: July 12, 2026 · SoftwareTestPilot QA Team
Official ISTQB Definition
A scripting technique that stores test input and expected results in a table or spreadsheet, so that a single control script can execute all of the tests in the table.
In simple words
One test script + a table of inputs and expected outputs = many test runs.
Exam tip
Data-driven is the entry-level automation pattern; keyword-driven and BDD build on top of it.
Related terms
- Keyword-Driven TestingWrite tests as spreadsheets of keywords ('login', 'add to cart') instead of code — non-coders can maintain them.
- Test AutomationLetting tools do the repetitive parts of testing — usually execution, but also data generation and reporting.
- Test DataThe concrete inputs you feed into a test — users, products, edge-case values.
Practice this term in the ISTQB Mock Test
40 CTFL v4.0 questions, 60-minute timer, instant scoring and chapter-wise breakdown.
Practice in Mock Test