JUnit Tool Support for testing concurrent Java programs

Abstract

This project involved the development of an extension for the popular automated software-testing tool JUnit. JUnit is a regression-testing framework that is based on test cases and test suites, which are developed using raw Java code. The extension, called JUnit Plus, allows users of JUnit to test concurrent Java programs quickly and easily. The need for this extension and hence the project arises from the fact that Java based programs are becoming more common placed and thus significant demand exists for tools that allow concurrent Java programs to be tested effectively and efficiently. Concurrent programs are programs where multiple threads execute statements in parallel. As a result concurrent program’s are non-deterministic by nature. Furthermore concurrent programs can have errors related to concurrency, such as deadlock, starvation and livelock, due to the multithread nature of the programs. As such concurrent programs require additional support when being tested. JUnit Plus provides such supports in the form of a clock that regulate the order of thread execution, an automated thread execution method and support for detection of concurrency errors. Two concurrent programs, ProducerConsumer and SingleLaneBridge, were used to evaluate the effectiveness of JUnit Plus. It was found that a relatively complex concurrent test driver could be developed for JUnit Plus in very little time and the tool was effective in detecting concurrency errors, executing threads automatically and in using the clock to exert control over the execution order of threads. As such the project has been successful in meeting its aim.