User Guide

Everything you need to know about using the ISTQB® Testing Body of Knowledge platform.

On This Page

Searching the Knowledge Base

The search bar on the home page and the search results page lets you search across all published ISTQB® syllabi using AI-powered semantic matching. This means you don't need to use the exact wording from the syllabus — the system understands related concepts and terminology.

  • Type your query and press Enter or click the search icon.
  • Queries must be at least 2 characters and at most 200 characters.
  • The system automatically expands ISTQB acronyms (e.g., TDD → test-driven development) and searches synonyms (e.g., bug also searches defect, fault, error).
  • You can search for LO codes directly (e.g., FL-1.2.1) or section numbers (e.g., 2.3.1).
  • Words match as whole words: CIA finds "CIA", not every word that happens to contain those letters.
  • A section that contains exactly what you typed — a quoted phrase, an acronym such as OWASP, or a short phrase of up to four words — is always listed, even when the semantic match alone would rank it too low.
For the best results, search using natural phrases like "what is regression testing" rather than single words.

Advanced Search Syntax

Use special syntax in the search box for precise control. Click the ? button next to the search bar for a quick reference.

What You WantSyntaxExample
Exact phrase match "phrase" "regression testing" — only results containing the exact phrase
Search multiple terms term1, term2 regression testing, performance testing — finds results about either term, boosts results mentioning both
Either of two terms term1 OR term2 test plan OR test strategy — the same as the comma. Write OR in capitals; a lower-case "or" is just a word, and an OR inside quotes is part of the phrase
Exclude a keyword -keyword testing -unit — finds "testing" results but excludes any mentioning "unit"
Combine operators Mix all of the above "test plan", "test strategy" -agile — exact phrases, excluding "agile"

Result Tabs

Above the results there are tabs, like in a web search, each with the number of results it holds:

  • All — the list of syllabus sections, with the AI summary and the Glossary card when they apply.
  • Sections — the same sections without the summary and the card.
  • Learning objectives — the objectives of those sections, each with a link to its section and its related exam questions.
  • Business outcomes — the business outcomes that match, with the objectives linked to each.
  • Keywords — the keywords that match, with the ISTQB® Glossary definition and every syllabus and chapter that lists them.
  • Exam questions — questions from the published sample exams that match, with a link to answer them.
  • Type a code and the right tab opens by itself: FL-1.1.1 shows that learning objective first, FL-BO1 that business outcome.
  • The tab is part of the page address. Copy the link to share a tab, and the browser's Back button returns to the tab you were on. A new search from the search box stays on the tab you chose.
  • The syllabus buttons work on every tab. The K-Level filter works on All, Sections, Learning objectives and Exam questions; Chapter and Sort on All, Sections and Learning objectives; Refine on every tab.
  • Business outcomes, Keywords and Exam questions follow the same search syntax as the search box: "exact phrase", -word, a comma or OR for either, and otherwise every word has to appear. An exact code or keyword is listed first. Up to 150 keywords and 200 questions are shown.
  • Only published syllabi and published sample exams appear. Export to PDF exports the section results (All and Sections).

Smart Autocomplete

As you type on the home page, suggestions appear below the search box. These include:

  • LO codes — Learning Objective identifiers like FL-1.2.1
  • Section numbers — Syllabus section references like 2.3.1
  • Section titles — Chapter and section names from all syllabi
  • Syllabus names — Matching syllabus names for quick access
  • Popular ISTQB terms — Commonly searched testing topics and concepts

Click a suggestion or use the arrow keys and Enter to select it.

Filtering Results

After searching, use the filter bar above the results to narrow down what you see:

  • Syllabus pills — Click one or more syllabus names to show only results from those syllabi (click again to deselect). Click "All Syllabi" to see everything. A with a number on a pill means documents are attached to that syllabus — see Syllabus Documents.
  • Chapter — Once a single syllabus is selected, choose a specific chapter to filter by.
  • K-Level — Toggle one or more K-Level buttons to show only results at those knowledge levels (click again to deselect). The count badge on each button shows how many results match.
  • Sort — Change the order: by Relevance (default), Section Number, Page Number, or K-Level.
  • Refine — Type any text in the Refine box to instantly filter the displayed results by that text. This works on top of all other filters.
  • Clear Filters — Click the × Clear Filters button to reset everything back to the default view.
The "Refine" filter is especially useful when you have many results and want to quickly find a specific term within them — no new search needed.

Understanding Result Cards

Each search result is displayed as a card with the following information:

  • Syllabus badge — Shows which syllabus and version the result comes from (top-left). Hover over it to see the full syllabus name (e.g., "Certified Tester Foundation Level"), where available.
  • Chapter badge — The chapter number and title.
  • Section number & title — The specific section within the syllabus.
  • LO code — The Learning Objective associated with this section, including its description.
  • K-Level tag — The knowledge level (K1–K6) shown with a color-coded tag (top-right).
  • Match percentage — How relevant this result is to your search query (shown as a % badge).
  • Go to Syllabus — Opens the original PDF at the matching page.

Click anywhere on a result card to expand it and see the full section content. Click again to collapse. Pictures in the content are sent in a compact web format (WebP) where your browser supports it — the picture is identical, only smaller to download; if you save one, your browser may name the file .webp.

Also Covered In

When you expand a section result, Also covered in lists up to three sections of other syllabi that deal with the same topic, with how similar they are. Each link opens that syllabus's PDF at the section.

  • A section is listed only when the topics are clearly close (70% similar or more), so some sections show nothing — that means no close match was found, not that the topic is missing elsewhere.
  • It is a pointer for further reading, not a statement that the two sections say the same thing. Compare the texts before relying on it.
  • It is not part of the PDF export.

PDF Syllabus Viewer

Clicking "Go to Syllabus p.X" on a search result opens the original ISTQB® syllabus PDF in an interactive viewer:

  • The viewer opens at the exact page where the matched content appears.
  • Your search terms are highlighted within the PDF.
  • You can navigate pages, zoom in/out, and download the full PDF.

Export to PDF

You can export your search results as a professionally formatted PDF document:

  1. Perform a search and review the results.
  2. Click the red Export to PDF button in the results summary area.
  3. Choose your export options: cover page, table of contents, which content to include, and layout settings.
  4. Click Generate PDF — the file downloads automatically.

The exported PDF includes branding, section content, LO information, relevance scores, and source references. If related exam questions are included, their rich formatting (lists, bold, italic) and source PDF references are preserved.

Related Exam Questions

When a search result has a Learning Objective (LO) that is covered by a published sample exam, a "Related exam questions" button appears below the LO code.

  • Click the button to view all exam questions linked to that LO.
  • The exam questions page presents an interactive quiz: read each question, select your answer, then reveal the correct answer with justification.
  • A few sample-exam questions test a keyword (a glossary term) rather than a learning objective. They carry a Keyword badge with the term instead of an LO code.

Syllabus Documents

Some syllabi come with companion documents, such as the CT-ATLaS Body of Knowledge. They are attached to their syllabus as downloadable PDFs.

  • A count on a syllabus pill shows how many documents are attached.
  • Select that syllabus to see the Documents download links; they open the PDF in a new tab.
  • Attached documents are for download only: their content is not part of the search results.

AI Insight

When enabled, an AI-generated summary appears at the top of your search results. This provides a concise overview of the most relevant findings based on your query.

  • AI-generated content is clearly labeled and should be used as a guide alongside the original syllabus content.
  • Section references in the summary, such as §4.2.1 (CTFL), are clickable — they scroll to the matching result on the page. The acronym in parentheses tells you which syllabus the section belongs to.
The AI Insight is a summary tool, not a replacement for reading the official syllabus content. Always verify important details with the original source.

ISTQB Glossary

When your search matches an official ISTQB® term, a Glossary card appears at the top of your results — above the syllabus sections — showing the term's definition and the syllabi that use it.

  • The term name is a direct link to its entry on the official ISTQB® Glossary website.
  • Green badges below the definition list every syllabus and version the term appears in. If there are more than five, click +N more to reveal all of them.
  • The source link at the bottom of the card always points back to glossary.istqb.org.

When exporting results to PDF, the Glossary card is included automatically (if the Include Glossary option is enabled in the export dialog). The PDF version shows the term as a clickable link, its definition, and all syllabus badges — no truncation.

The ISTQB® Glossary is the authoritative reference for testing terminology. Use it alongside the syllabus content to understand how a term is defined and where it is taught.

K-Levels Explained

ISTQB® uses Knowledge Levels (K-Levels) to classify Learning Objectives by cognitive depth:

LevelNameWhat It Means
K1 Remember Recall facts and definitions. You should be able to recognise and identify terms and concepts.
K2 Understand Explain and summarise concepts. You should be able to describe, compare, and distinguish ideas.
K3 Apply Use knowledge in practice. You should be able to apply techniques and methods to a given situation.
K4 Analyse Break down information and draw conclusions. You should be able to evaluate, assess, and propose solutions.
K5 Evaluate Make judgements based on criteria and standards. You should be able to critique, justify, and recommend approaches.
K6 Create Produce new or original work. You should be able to design, construct, and develop new solutions or frameworks.

Use the K-Level filter on the search results page to focus on the cognitive level you need.

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