Chapter 5 – Managing the Test Activities
Entry Criteria – ISTQB Definition
Last Updated: July 12, 2026 · SoftwareTestPilot QA Team
Official ISTQB Definition
The set of conditions for officially starting a defined task.
In simple words
The checklist that must be true before a test level or activity can start — e.g. build deployed, smoke passed.
Exam tip
Entry criteria protect the test team from testing an unready product. Don’t confuse with definition of ready.
Related terms
- Exit CriteriaThe checklist that must be true before you can declare testing done — coverage hit, no open blockers, etc.
- Definition of ReadyAn Agile team’s shared checklist for ‘this story is clear enough to work on’.
- Test PlanningDeciding scope, objectives, risks, resources, schedule and criteria for a testing effort.
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