Towards an I/O Conformance Testing Theory for Software Product Lines based on Modal Interface Automata

TitleTowards an I/O Conformance Testing Theory for Software Product Lines based on Modal Interface Automata
Publication TypeConference Paper
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsLuthmann, L., S. Mennicke, and M. Lochau
Refereed DesignationRefereed
Conference NameInternational Workshop on Formal Methods and Analysis in Software Product Line Engineering (FMSPLE 2016)
Date Published04/2015
PublisherEPTCS
Conference LocationLondon, UK
Abstract

We present an adaptation of input/output conformance (ioco) testing principles to families of similar implementation variants as appearing in product line engineering. Our proposed product line testing theory relies on Modal Interface Automata (MIA) as behavioral specification formalism. MIA enrich I/O-labeled transition systems with may/must modalities to distinguish mandatory from optional behavior, thus providing a semantic notion of intrinsic behavioral variability. In particular, MIA constitute a restricted, yet fully expressive subclass of I/O-labeled modal transition systems, guaranteeing desirable refinement and compositionality properties. The resulting modal-ioco relation defined on MIA is preserved under MIA refinement, which serves as variant derivation mechanism in our product line testing theory. As a result, modal-ioco is proven correct in the sense that it coincides with traditional ioco to hold for every derivable implementation variant. Based on this result, a family-based product line conformance testing framework can be established.