ISTQB CTFL-Foundation Exam - Topic 3 Question 43 Discussion

Actual exam question for ISTQB's CTFL-Foundation exam

Question #: 43
Topic #: 3

Which of the following statements best characterises maintenance testing? [K2]

AMaintenance testing is triggered by changes to delivered software and uses impact analysis to minimise the amount of regression testing needed

BMaintenance testing is triggered by changes to software under development before initial delivery and uses the test plan to determine how much regression testing to do

CMaintenance testing is triggered by changes to the test environment and uses testing tools to perform regression testing

DMaintenance testing is triggered by changes to the software environment and uses structural testing to ensure the changes function correctly

Show Suggested Answer

Suggested Answer: A

Maintenance testing is conducted on the software after it has been delivered to address any issues or changes required due to defects, environment changes, or new requirements. The ISTQB syllabus explains that maintenance testing typically involves impact analysis to determine the extent of regression testing required, thus optimizing the testing effort and focusing on affected areas.

by Susana at Nov 21, 2025, 11:26 AM

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Kasandra

1 month ago

Overall, A covers the essence of maintenance testing well.

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Delpha

2 months ago

D is interesting, but structural testing isn’t the main focus here.

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Paris

2 months ago

C is off. Changes in the test environment don’t trigger maintenance testing.

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Aleisha

2 months ago

B sounds good too, but it’s more about development phase.

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Karrie

2 months ago

I agree, A feels right. Minimizing regression is key.

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Anglea

2 months ago

I think A is the best choice. It makes sense with impact analysis.

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Tawanna

2 months ago

Wait, D) uses structural testing? That’s surprising!

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Mozelle

3 months ago

C) sounds a bit off, maintenance testing isn't just about the environment.

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Martina

3 months ago

I disagree, B) makes more sense for ongoing projects.

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An

3 months ago

A) is spot on, it's all about impact analysis!

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Emerson

4 months ago

I'd rather be testing the software than the environment any day. Just sayin'.

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Titus

4 months ago

Maintenance testing? More like "maintaining my sanity" while dealing with all these changes!

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Blythe

4 months ago

D) Structural testing for environmental changes? Sounds like a stretch to me.

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Mozell

4 months ago

C) Regression testing with tools? That's the way to do it, no doubt.

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Janine

4 months ago

A) Maintenance testing is the way to go, minimizing regression testing is key.

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Loreta

4 months ago

I vaguely remember something about impact analysis in maintenance testing, which makes me lean towards A, but I should double-check the definitions.

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Willow

5 months ago

I feel like option B sounds familiar, but I can't recall if maintenance testing is really about changes before delivery.

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Shawnda

5 months ago

I feel pretty confident that A is the correct answer here. Maintenance testing is all about managing the impact of changes and using targeted regression testing, not just retesting everything.

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Bok

5 months ago

A sounds right to me. Maintenance testing is all about minimizing the amount of regression testing needed when changes are made to the delivered software. Impact analysis is the key to doing that efficiently.

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Thaddeus

5 months ago

Okay, let me think this through. Maintenance testing is triggered by changes, that much I know. And it's about regression testing, not just testing new features. So I'm leaning towards A or B as the best answer.

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Meaghan

5 months ago

I remember discussing how maintenance testing relates to regression testing, but I'm not sure if it's only about delivered software or if it includes development changes too.

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Selma

5 months ago

I think maintenance testing is mostly about changes after the software is delivered, so maybe A is the right choice?

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Colby

6 months ago

B) Nah, that's not it. Maintenance testing is all about the test plan, not the development process.

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Gilma

6 months ago

A) is definitely the best choice here, no doubt!

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Martina

6 months ago

Hmm, I'm a bit confused. I was thinking it might be D, since maintenance testing is about ensuring changes to the software environment work correctly. But I'm not totally sure.

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Marge

6 months ago

I think the answer is A. Maintenance testing is all about responding to changes in the delivered software and using impact analysis to figure out what needs to be retested.

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