Test Oracles

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Overview:

One of the most difficult things about software testing is determining whether or not the software’s behavior is correct. The mechanism used to make that determination is called a test oracle. This course surveys the kinds of oracles available and methods to use them. The two-day class includes the following topics:

• Foundational concepts in software testing
• Why oracles are important
• Relating program behavior influences with outcomes
  • An influences/outcomes model for software under test
  • Modeling with oracles
• Eight types of oracles
• Results comparison mechanisms
• Where results can be monitored and oracles applied
  • Using architecture diagrams
  • UI and API
  • Other touch points
• Timing of generating and comparing expected results
  • Oracle generation
  • Results comparison

Who the course is for:

The ideal student is a tester, programmer, or manager who has run software tests and realized there is more happening than that which can be written into a test plan. The course is especially valuable for experienced testers and programmers who want to learn better ways to control and monitor automated software tests.

In this course you will learn:

• Why the oracle is the key to software testing
• Eight kinds of test oracles
• Useful models for developing and running excellent software tests
• How automated oracles can support massive automated testing
• Architectures for oracle integration
• Mechanisms for outcome analysis
• How to apply multiple oracles to a single test

Course format:

The course follows the outline but the depth of topic coverage is tailored to the individual class based upon their interests. Simple [non-programming] exercises explain and reinforce the concepts presented in lecture/discussions.