Progress toward automated software testing

Abstract

Mothra is an integrated environment for automated software validation. Using Mothra, a tester can create and execute test cases, measure test case adequacy, determine input-output correctness, locate and remove faults or bugs, and control and document the test. There are no size constraints built into the design of the environment. A goal of the research has been to exploit computational opportunities in each of the major subtasks of software validation. The author has attempted to reduce test case generation, measurement of the effectiveness of test cases, input-output correctness checking, and debugging to one or more computational metaphors and to design the appropriate algorithms. The result is a system where there is a high degree of control over the apparent cost of testing.