A FRAMEWORK FOR SPECIFICATION-BASED TESTING

Test templates and a test template framework are introduced as useful concepts in specification-based testing. The framework can be defined using any model-based specification notation and used to derive tests from model-based specifications-in this paper, it is demonstrated usin g the Z notation. The framework formally defines test data sets and th eir relation to the operations in a specification and to other test da ta sets, providing structure to the testing process. Flexibility is pr eserved, so that many testing strategies can be used. Important applic ation areas of the framework are discussed, including refinement of te st data, regression testing, and test oracles.