Automated test case generation for path coverage using search based techniques

Abstract

Generation of test cases is one of the key aspects of software testing tasks. Au- newlinetomatic test case generation reduces the time of the testing process and improves newlinethe efficiency and effectiveness of software testing. Finding bugs from software us- newlineing an optimum set of test cases is the primary goal of software testing. Obtaining newlineoptimum set of test cases is an optimization problem. Metaheuristic optimization newline(searching) techniques have been immensely used to automate software testing tasks. newlineThe application of metaheuristic searching techniques in software testing is termed newlineas Search-Based Testing (SBT). Nature-inspired algorithms play an important role newlinein the automatic/ semi-automatic generation of suitable test cases for software. The newlinemain aim of SBT is to achieve a high degree of automation with quality tests at newlinea low cost. The search process of a metaheuristic algorithm is guided by fitness newlinefunctions. In SBT, a fitness function is formulated mainly based upon the coverage newlinecriteria. Some of the most used criteria for code-based testing are statement cover- newlineage, branch coverage, decision coverage, and path coverage. Path-based testing is newlinea popular structural testing method that uses the source code of a program to find newlineevery possible executable linearly independent path. Adequate and accurate test newlinecases are required to test each path. The main objective of this thesis work is to newlinepropose a search-based model to generate test cases that will cover maximum paths newlineso that we can obtain maximum test efficiency within the available test resources. newlineThe objectives of this thesis work are: newline To cover the critical path (path having a low probability of execution at the newlinetime of automatic test case generation) along with covering the maximum path. newline Proposal of fitness function (Improved Combined Fitness) for critical pa newline