Automatic Generation of Software Test Cases using Genetic Algorithms

Abstract

Today, testing is the most challenging and dominating activity used by industry, therefore, improvement in its effectiveness, both with respect to the time and resources, is taken as a major factor by many researchers. A new technique is presented for automatically generating test cases using genetic algorithms (GAs). This technique extends the random testing by the use of genetic algorithms Various factors are discovered that distinguishes a Test Suit (Set of test cases) from the other one on the basis of its goodness. A good test case is a test case whose chances of finding a bug are more. The factors discovered are used in evaluating the fitness function of GA for selecting the best possible Test Suit. This technique takes the program as an input and then evaluates the test cases for that program. That is, it is a white box testing technique. Complete methodology and its effectiveness have been demonstrated with the help of suitable example.