Automated, contract-based user testing of commercial-off-the-shelf components

Lionel C. Briand, Yvan Labiche, Michałe M. Sówka

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) components provide a means to construct software (component-based) systems in reduced time and cost. In a COTS component software market there exist component vendors (original developers of the component) and component users (developers of the component-based systems). The former provide the component to the user without source code or design documentation, and as a result it is difficult for the latter to adequately test the component when deployed in their system. In this article we propose a framework that clarifies the roles and responsibilities of both parties so that the user can adequately test the component in a deployment environment and the vendor does not need to release proprietary details. Then, based on this framework we combine and adapt two specification-based testing techniques and describe (and implement) a method for the automated generation of adequate test sets. An evaluation of our approach on a case study demonstrates that it is possible to automatically generate cost effective test sequences and that these test sequences are effective at detecting complex errors.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceeding of the 28th International Conference on Software Engineering 2006, ICSE '06
PublisherIEEE Computer Society
Pages92-101
Number of pages10
ISBN (Print)1595933751, 9781595933751
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2006
Externally publishedYes
Event28th International Conference on Software Engineering 2006, ICSE '06 - Shanghai, China
Duration: 20 May 200628 May 2006

Publication series

NameProceedings - International Conference on Software Engineering
Volume2006
ISSN (Print)0270-5257

Conference

Conference28th International Conference on Software Engineering 2006, ICSE '06
Country/TerritoryChina
CityShanghai
Period20/05/0628/05/06

Keywords

  • Adequacy criteria
  • Component
  • COTS
  • UML

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