Interface mutation

Applications that utilize a broker-based architecture are often composed of components that need to be tested individually and in combination. Furthermore, adequacy assessment of tests of components is useful in that it assists testers in identifying weaknesses in the tests generated so far and in offering hints on what the new tests must be. Traditional test adequacy criteria have limitations for commercial use, especially when tests for large components are to be assessed for their adequacy. This paper describes a test adequacy criterion based on interface mutation and a method, based on the criterion, to test components. This method requires the mutation of elements only from within a component's interface and not from within the code that implements the interface. The adequacy criterion based on interface mutation was evaluated empirically and compared with coverage criteria based on control flow for its relative effectiveness in revealing errors and in the cost incurred in developing test sets that satisfy the criterion. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.