ISTQB Exam Prep Ebooks: Which One for Which Certification?

ADC publishes eight ISTQB exam prep ebooks: CTFL v4.0, CT-AI v2.0, CT-GenAI v1.1, CT-QDO v1.0 and four Advanced Level titles. They are independent study guides written from the official syllabus, each with practice questions and 3 full practice exams. This page maps each ebook to the certification it prepares and to the role it fits, so you can choose the next one instead of buying the whole shelf.

The ISTQB certification map: Foundation, Advanced, specialist

ISTQB certifications follow a path. The Foundation Level (CTFL) comes first. On top of it sit the Advanced Level certifications (test management, test automation, technical testing, agile testing) and specialist modules such as AI testing, generative AI testing and DevOps quality. Our ebooks page states that the Foundation Level is required before the Advanced Level and the specialist modules; always confirm the prerequisites in each official syllabus on istqb.org before you register.

Which certification, which ebook

Foundation: CTFL v4.0

The starting point. If you plan to sit the exam, read our guides on the CTFL syllabus 4.0.1 and on how to pass the exam.

AI: CT-AI v2.0 and CT-GenAI v1.1

CT-AI covers testing AI-based systems; CT-GenAI covers testing with generative AI. They answer different jobs: our article CT-AI vs CT-GenAI helps you choose.

DevOps: CT-QDO v1.0

For teams who build quality into a delivery pipeline.

Advanced: CTAL-TM v3.0, CTAL-TAE v2.0, CTAL-TTA v4.0, CTAL-AT v2.0

Choose by role: management (TM), automation (TAE), technical testing (TTA) or agile teams (AT).

How to use an exam prep ebook

1. Read the matching section of the official syllabus first.
2. Answer the practice questions of that section against the clock.
3. Log each mistake by chapter and by reason: did not know, misread, ran out of time.
4. Use the 3 full practice exams as checkpoints, not as a first pass.
5. Book the official exam only when your scores are consistently high.

What an ebook cannot do

An ebook does not replace the syllabus, does not give you a trainer's feedback, and does not guarantee a pass. Our questions are written by our team from the official syllabus: they are not real exam questions, and ADC is not affiliated with ISTQB. If you prefer guided preparation, see our certification courses.