Object-oriented integration testing

Object-oriented software development is an evolutionary process, and hence the opportunities for integration are abundant. Conceptually, classes are encapsulation of data attributes and their associated functions. Software components are amalgamation of logically and/or physically related classes. A complete software system is also an aggregation of software components. All of these various integration levels warrant contemporary integration techniques. Traditional integration techniques towards the end of software development process do not suffice any more. Integration strategies are needed at class level, component level, sub-system level, and system levels. Classes require integration of methods. Various types of class interaction mechanisms demand different testing strategies. Integration of classes into components presses its own integration requirements. Finally, the system integration demands different types of integration testing strategies. This paper discusses the various integration levels prevalent in object-oriented software development. The integration requirements of each level are met by suggesting a solution for the same. An integration framework for integrating classes into a system is also proposed.