F INITE STATE MODEL-BASED TESTING ON A SHOESTRING
Harry J. Robinson · 1999
Model-based testing is a software test technique that generates tests from an explicit model of software behavior. Modern programmable test tools allow us to use this technique to create useful, flexible and powerful tests at a very reasonable cost. What Is Model-Based Testing? Model-based testing is a technique that generates software tests from explicit descriptions of an application’s behavior. Creating and maintaining a model of an application makes it easier to generate and update tests for that application. Several good model-based test tools are currently available in the market, but the techniques of modelbased testing are not tied to any tool. This paper shows how anyone willing to do some test programming can implement model-based testing in low-cost test language tools. The test language used in this paper is Visual Test [1] from Rational Software. In this paper, I will discuss how to use a test programming language to 1. Create a finite state model of an application. 2. Generate sequences of test actions from the model. 3. Execute the test actions against the application. 4. Determine if the application worked right. 5. Find bugs.