CTFL-v4 Testing Throughout the SDLC Practice Question
Which of the following activities is a characteristic of 'Static Testing' within the Software Development Life Cycle?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates frequently select dynamic execution activities like running unit tests or executing scripts, confusing static testing with component testing.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Performing a technical review of the design specification.
Static testing involves examining work products without executing code. It is an essential part of the SDLC because it allows for early defect detection in documents like requirements, design, or user stories. By finding issues in the planning phase, the cost of fixing those defects is significantly lower compared to finding them after the code is deployed to a dynamic environment.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Executing test cases against a running application.
Why it's wrong here
Executing test cases against a running application is the definition of dynamic testing. Dynamic testing requires the software to be in a runnable state so that inputs can be processed and outputs can be compared against the expected behavior to identify functional defects in the implementation.
- ✓
Performing a technical review of the design specification.
Why this is correct
A technical review of design specifications is a form of static testing. It allows stakeholders and developers to identify logic errors, ambiguities, or missing requirements before a single line of code is written, ensuring that the development team works from a complete and accurate set of documentation.
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Measuring the code coverage during unit testing.
Why it's wrong here
Measuring code coverage during unit testing is part of dynamic testing because the code must be compiled and executed to collect coverage data. This activity focuses on verifying the dynamic flow of control and data within the software, rather than reviewing the static text of requirements.
- ✗
Running automated integration tests in the CI/CD pipeline.
Why it's wrong here
Running automated tests in a CI/CD pipeline is a dynamic testing activity because it involves building the software and running it through a series of automated checks. The objective is to verify the successful integration of system components through actual execution in a real execution environment.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISTQB exam blueprint
This CTFL-v4 practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISTQB certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CTFL-v4 exam.