A Proposition for a Theory of Testing: An Abstract Approach to the Testing Process

Abstract

<p>We describe an abstract model for the program testing process, based on first-order egalitary logic. We define the notion of a battery of tests for a given testing context. Its properties are studied: reliability, validity, bias and acceptability. A preorder is defined and studied, which leads to an equivalence relation among batteries of tests. This equivalence turns out to be of great interest, both theoretical and practical.</p><p>We show the application of this model to some classical questions: effective (automatic) test generation, test optimization, quality assessment of the testing process, and relationships between program proving and program testing.</p>