TY - GEN
T1 - (Quickly) testing the tester via path coverage
AU - Groce, Alex
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - The configuration complexity and code size of an automated testing framework may grow to a point that the tester itself becomes a significant software artifact, prone to poor configuration and implementation errors. Unfortunately, testing the tester by using old versions of the software under test (SUT) may be impractical or impossible: test framework changes may have been motivated by interface changes in the tested system, or fault detection may become too expensive in terms of computing time to justify running until errors are detected on older versions of the software. We propose the use of path coverage measures as a "quick and dirty" method for detecting many faults in complex test frameworks. We also note the possibility of using techniques developed to diversify state-space searches in model checking to diversify test focus, and an associated classification of tester changes into focus-changing and non-focus-changing modifications.
AB - The configuration complexity and code size of an automated testing framework may grow to a point that the tester itself becomes a significant software artifact, prone to poor configuration and implementation errors. Unfortunately, testing the tester by using old versions of the software under test (SUT) may be impractical or impossible: test framework changes may have been motivated by interface changes in the tested system, or fault detection may become too expensive in terms of computing time to justify running until errors are detected on older versions of the software. We propose the use of path coverage measures as a "quick and dirty" method for detecting many faults in complex test frameworks. We also note the possibility of using techniques developed to diversify state-space searches in model checking to diversify test focus, and an associated classification of tester changes into focus-changing and non-focus-changing modifications.
KW - Evaluation of test systems
KW - Regression testing
KW - Test frameworks
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84858019564&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84858019564&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1145/2134243.2134249
DO - 10.1145/2134243.2134249
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84858019564
SN - 9781605586564
T3 - WODA 2009 - Proceedings of the 7th International Workshop on Dynamic Analysis, Held in Conjunction with the ACM SIGSOFT International Symposium on Software Testing and Analysis, ISSTA 2009
SP - 22
EP - 28
BT - WODA 2009 - Proceedings of the 7th International Workshop on Dynamic Analysis, Held in Conjunction with the ACM SIGSOFT International Symposium on Software Testing and Analysis, ISSTA 2009
T2 - 7th International Workshop on Dynamic Analysis, WODA 2009, Held in Conjunction with the ACM SIGSOFT International Symposium on Software Testing and Analysis, ISSTA 2009
Y2 - 20 July 2009 through 20 July 2009
ER -