Test cases generation for multiple paths based on PSO algorithm with metamorphic relations

• Published in: IET software Vol. 12; no. 4; pp. 306 - 317
• Main Authors: Lv, Xue-Wei, Huang, Song, Hui, Zhan-Wei, Ji, Hai-Jin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Institution of Engineering and Technology 01.08.2018
• Subjects: metaheuristic algorithm searching; metamorphic relations; multiple-path coverage; multiple-path test cases; particle swarm optimisation; particle swarm optimisation algorithm; path-wise testing; program testing; PSO algorithm; search problems; Special Section: Search-Based Software Engineering; test case generation efficiency; test case generation method; test cases generation; multiple-path test cases; program testing; path-wise testing; particle swarm optimisation algorithm; particle swarm optimisation; PSO algorithm; test cases generation; test case generation efficiency; multiple-path coverage; metamorphic relations; metaheuristic algorithm searching; search problems; test case generation method
• ISSN: 1751-8806; 1751-8814; 1751-8814
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-sen.2017.0260

The generation of multiple-path test cases can greatly enhance the efficiency of path-wise testing. Various methods adopting meta-heuristic algorithm to generate multiple-path test cases have been proposed, but existing methods focus on improving the meta-heuristic algorithm to get better test case generation efficiency, and test cases covering each path needs to be generated by meta-heuristic algorithm searching. To improve efficiency, a test case generation method for multiple-path coverage is proposed in this study, which combines a particle swarm optimisation (PSO) algorithm with metamorphic relations (MRs). The method first generates a test case using the PSO algorithm, and then generates new test cases by repeatedly using MRs between test cases. This method reduces evolving numbers of PSO algorithm. The experimental results show that the proposed method can significantly enhance the efficiency in terms of fitness evaluations and time consumption.