Testing Method for Software With Randomness Using Genetic Algorithm

The main task of software testing is the generation of test data with high quality in restricted time. But for software with uncertainties, such as randomness, existing methods of generating test data often lose their effectiveness. For software with randomness, a test datum might cover the test tar...

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Main Authors: Xiangjuan Yao, Dunwei Gong, Bin Li, Xiangying Dang, Gongjie Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2020-01-01
Series:IEEE Access
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Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9049128/
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author Xiangjuan Yao
Dunwei Gong
Bin Li
Xiangying Dang
Gongjie Zhang
author_facet Xiangjuan Yao
Dunwei Gong
Bin Li
Xiangying Dang
Gongjie Zhang
author_sort Xiangjuan Yao
collection DOAJ
description The main task of software testing is the generation of test data with high quality in restricted time. But for software with uncertainties, such as randomness, existing methods of generating test data often lose their effectiveness. For software with randomness, a test datum might cover the test target in one run, but obtains different results in the next run. Therefore, special testing methods must be exploited for this kind of software. In order to test software with randomness, we first propose a novel test adequacy criterion, and then build a mathematical model for generating test data according to the new criterion. Finally, we present a method of solving the optimization model using a set-based genetic algorithm. We apply the proposed method to test 12 programs, and compare with traditional genetic algorithm and the random method. From the experimental results we can see that, the proposed adequacy criterion is available for the software with randomness and the proposed algorithm can effectively generate test data.
format Article
id doaj-art-69661bdb092f46328bf416dc86fec55a
institution Kabale University
issn 2169-3536
language English
publishDate 2020-01-01
publisher IEEE
record_format Article
series IEEE Access
spelling doaj-art-69661bdb092f46328bf416dc86fec55a2025-08-20T03:45:06ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362020-01-018619996201010.1109/ACCESS.2020.29837629049128Testing Method for Software With Randomness Using Genetic AlgorithmXiangjuan Yao0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3207-703XDunwei Gong1Bin Li2Xiangying Dang3Gongjie Zhang4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5837-1344School of Mathematics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, ChinaSchool of Information and Control Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, ChinaSchool of Mathematics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, ChinaSchool of Information and Control Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, ChinaSchool of Computer Science and Technology, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, ChinaThe main task of software testing is the generation of test data with high quality in restricted time. But for software with uncertainties, such as randomness, existing methods of generating test data often lose their effectiveness. For software with randomness, a test datum might cover the test target in one run, but obtains different results in the next run. Therefore, special testing methods must be exploited for this kind of software. In order to test software with randomness, we first propose a novel test adequacy criterion, and then build a mathematical model for generating test data according to the new criterion. Finally, we present a method of solving the optimization model using a set-based genetic algorithm. We apply the proposed method to test 12 programs, and compare with traditional genetic algorithm and the random method. From the experimental results we can see that, the proposed adequacy criterion is available for the software with randomness and the proposed algorithm can effectively generate test data.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9049128/Software testinggenetic algorithmadequacy criteriontest data generationsoftware with randomness
spellingShingle Xiangjuan Yao
Dunwei Gong
Bin Li
Xiangying Dang
Gongjie Zhang
Testing Method for Software With Randomness Using Genetic Algorithm
IEEE Access
Software testing
genetic algorithm
adequacy criterion
test data generation
software with randomness
title Testing Method for Software With Randomness Using Genetic Algorithm
title_full Testing Method for Software With Randomness Using Genetic Algorithm
title_fullStr Testing Method for Software With Randomness Using Genetic Algorithm
title_full_unstemmed Testing Method for Software With Randomness Using Genetic Algorithm
title_short Testing Method for Software With Randomness Using Genetic Algorithm
title_sort testing method for software with randomness using genetic algorithm
topic Software testing
genetic algorithm
adequacy criterion
test data generation
software with randomness
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9049128/
work_keys_str_mv AT xiangjuanyao testingmethodforsoftwarewithrandomnessusinggeneticalgorithm
AT dunweigong testingmethodforsoftwarewithrandomnessusinggeneticalgorithm
AT binli testingmethodforsoftwarewithrandomnessusinggeneticalgorithm
AT xiangyingdang testingmethodforsoftwarewithrandomnessusinggeneticalgorithm
AT gongjiezhang testingmethodforsoftwarewithrandomnessusinggeneticalgorithm