Efficient algorithms for generation of combinatorial covering suites

Abstract

In this note we describe efficient algorithms for generating tests that cover a prescribed set of combinations of a software system's input parameters. Our methods for obtaining uniform t-wise coverage are based on repeatedly coloring the vertices of a graph such that the vertices in each t-subset have different colors in at least one of the colorings. The resulting algorithm is compared to other known algorithms for uniform coverage, a greedy algorithm and a randomized algorithm, in particular. The size of its output test suite is then related to a new lower bound that we obtain on the minimal size of a test suite. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003.