Generation of integration tests for self-testing components

Abstract

Internet software tightly integrates classic computation with communication software. Heterogeneity and complexity can be tackled with a component-based approach, where components are developed by application experts and integrated by domain experts. Component-based systems cannot be tested with classic approaches but present new problems. Current techniques for integration testing are based upon the component developer providing test specifications or suites with their components. However, components are often being used in ways not envisioned by their developers, thus the packaged test specifications and suites cannot be relied upon. Often this results in conditions being placed upon a components use, however, what is required is a method for allowing test suites to be adapted for new situations. In this paper, we propose an approach for implementing self-testing components, which allow integration test specifications and suites to be developed by observing both the behavior of the component and of the entire system. © Springer-Verlag 2004.