Applying Mutation Testing in XML Schemas.
Ledyvânia Franzotte, Sílvia Regina Vergílio · Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering · 2006
XML language is largely used by Web-based applications to exchange data among different components. XML documents, in most cases, follow a grammar or schema that describes which elements and data types are expected by the application. These schemas are “translated” from specifications written in natural language, and consequently, in this process some mistakes are usually made. Because of this, faults can be introduced in the schemas and incorrect XML documents can be validated. This work proposes the use of mutation testing to reveal faults in schemas. A set of mutation operators is introduced by considering the most common errors present in the project of schemas. A process and a testing tool to support the operators are described. By using this tool some experiments were accomplished. Results from these experiments show the applicability of the operators, as well as, their efficacy to reveal faults.