Delta‐based regression testing: a formal framework towards model‐driven regression testing

Abstract

The increase in complexity and rate of technological changes in modern software development has led to a demand for systematic methods that raise the abstraction level for system maintenance and regression testing. Model‐driven development (MDD) has promised to reduce extra coding efforts in software maintenance activities using traceable change management. The research described in this paper presents a Z‐notation‐based framework, called delta‐based regression testing (DbRT), for formal modeling of regression testing in the context of MDD. The framework proposes to propagate the changes from a software specification to testing artifacts in order to preserve consistency after system evolution. Also, an effective delta‐based selection technique is provided for regression testing at the platform‐independent level. The framework is further enriched by introducing a new category of coverage patterns for DbRT. Complex coverage patterns can be defined using a declarative query language syntax for examining the adequacy of regression testing. Finally, an implementation technique and an analysis plan are provided to assess the effectiveness of the proposed framework. The assessment process is expected to be beneficial to both the platform‐independent and platform‐specific level of DbRT by identifying the desired coverage according to available testing resources. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Functional Requirement-Based Test Case Prioritization in Regression Testing: A Systematic Literature Review

“…The forward traceability maps requirements to test cases while backward traceability maps back test cases to requirements. Fundamental parameters employed in traceability matric include as requirement Id, faults, test cases, traces to source code, and trace to design specification [99]. We can conclude that test case property of traceability matrices ensures that execution of certain test cases verify the correct working of a module.…”

A model‐driven framework to enhance the consistency of logical integrity constraints: Introducing integrity regression testing

“…The example in Figure shows an FSM, as a customized model proposed in the work of Nooraei Abadeh and Mirian‐Hosseinabadi, that expresses the behavior of an enrollment service at the design level. The service accepts incoming enrollment requests and fits them into suitable places.…”

“…Semantically, change modeling is the process of establishing interrelationships between entities of a different version of a system, and changes are expressed regarding a sequence of refactoring operations.Definition A change operation is a descriptive representation of a model transformation for refactoring models using two main operations “Add” and “Remove.” Each change operation uses pre‐ and post‐conditions to check a model state before and after applying the transformation . Furthermore, the operation “Update” is reasonable as a sequence of “Add” and “Remove” on the same entity.…”

“…Furthermore, integrity regression test selection techniques (RTSTs) are required to prevent rerunning the whole test suite to verify the added or new functionality in each modified version . Moreover, designing abstract test requirements in a platform‐independent model to cover the structure of the corresponding platform‐specific model (PSM) makes it possible to build complex, large‐scale applications at the requirement analysis phase . When the behavior of the model is verified to satisfy by logical coverage analysis, the model is translated to a PSM and tested by the same tests again.…”

“…Section 3 states the problem of and motivation for our framework. Section 4 reviews the main concepts of model‐driven regression testing as the basis of model‐driven testing regression. Section 5 introduces the IRT framework.…”