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Diffstat (limited to 'lib/common_test/doc/src/why_test_chapter.xml')
| -rw-r--r-- | lib/common_test/doc/src/why_test_chapter.xml | 43 |
1 files changed, 21 insertions, 22 deletions
diff --git a/lib/common_test/doc/src/why_test_chapter.xml b/lib/common_test/doc/src/why_test_chapter.xml index 15eb1aaed4..ff6000628b 100644 --- a/lib/common_test/doc/src/why_test_chapter.xml +++ b/lib/common_test/doc/src/why_test_chapter.xml @@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ </legalnotice> - <title>Some thoughts about testing</title> + <title>Some Thoughts about Testing</title> <prepared>Siri Hansen</prepared> <docno></docno> <date></date> @@ -34,54 +34,53 @@ <section> <title>Goals</title> - <p>It's not possible to prove that a program is correct by + <p>It is not possible to prove that a program is correct by testing. On the contrary, it has been formally proven that it is impossible to prove programs in general by testing. Theoretical - program proofs or plain examination of code may be viable options - for those that wish to certify that a program is correct. The test + program proofs or plain examination of code can be viable options + for those wishing to certify that a program is correct. The test server, as it is based on testing, cannot be used for certification. Its intended use is instead to (cost effectively) <em>find bugs</em>. A successful test suite is one that reveals a - bug. If a test suite results in Ok, then we know very little that - we didn't know before.</p> + bug. If a test suite results in OK, then we know very little that + we did not know before.</p> </section> <section> - <title>What to test?</title> + <title>What to Test</title> <p> There are many kinds of test suites. Some concentrate on calling every function or command (in the documented way) in a certain interface. - Some other do the same, but uses all kinds of illegal - parameters, and verifies that the server stays alive and rejects + Some others do the same, but use all kinds of illegal + parameters, and verify that the server stays alive and rejects the requests with reasonable error codes. Some test suites simulate an application (typically consisting of a few modules of - an application), some try to do tricky requests in general, some + an application), some try to do tricky requests in general, and some test suites even test internal functions with help of special - load-modules on target.</p> + Load Modules on target.</p> - <p>Another interesting category of test suites are the ones that - check that fixed bugs don't reoccur. When a bugfix is introduced, - a test case that checks for that specific bug should be written - and submitted to the affected test suite(s).</p> + <p>Another interesting category of test suites is the one + checking that fixed bugs do not reoccur. When a bugfix is introduced, + a test case that checks for that specific bug is written + and submitted to the affected test suites.</p> <p>Aim for finding bugs. Write whatever test that has the highest probability of finding a bug, now or in the future. Concentrate - more on the critical parts. Bugs in critical subsystems are a lot + more on the critical parts. Bugs in critical subsystems are much more expensive than others.</p> <p>Aim for functionality testing rather than implementation details. Implementation details change quite often, and the test - suites should be long lived. Often implementation details differ + suites are to be long lived. Implementation details often differ on different platforms and versions. If implementation details - have to be tested, try to factor them out into separate test - cases. Later on these test cases may be rewritten, or just - skipped.</p> + must be tested, try to factor them out into separate test + cases. These test cases can later be rewritten or skipped.</p> - <p>Also, aim for testing everything once, no less, no more. It's - not effective having every test case fail just because one + <p>Also, aim for testing everything once, no less, no more. It is + not effective having every test case fail only because one function in the interface changed.</p> </section> |