A testing framework for JADE agent-based software

Abstract

Multi-agent systems are proposed as a solution to mitigate nowadays software requirements: open and distributed architectures with dynamic and adaptive behaviour. Like any other software, multi-agent systems development process is error-prone; thus testing is a key activity to ensure the quality of the developed product. This paper sheds light on agent testing as it is the primary artefact for any multi-agent system’s testing process. A framework called JADE Testing Framework (JTF) for JADE platform’s agent testing is proposed. JTF allows testing agents at two levels: unit (inner-components) and agent (agent interactions) levels. JTF is the result of the integration of two testing solutions: JAT a well-known framework for JADE’s agent’s interaction testing and UJade, a new solution that was developed for agent’s unit testing. UJade provides also a toolbox that allows for enhancing JAT capabilities. The evidence of JTF usability and effectiveness in JADE agent testing was supported by an empirical study conducted on seven multi-agent systems. The results of the study show that: when an agent’s code can be tested either at agent or unit levels UJade is less test’s effort consuming than JAT; JTF provides better testing capabilities and the developed tests are more effective than those developed using UJade or JAT alone.