Software testing and verification

Course goals

Testing is important to guarantee that software is reliable. We will learn a number of basic techniques, so to be able to select the right technique in a particular case. Specifically, we will address testing of games. Testing a program exhaustively is seldomly feasible. We will study program logic. With such logic, we can -in priciple at least- proof programs correct without testing them. The method is complete: a program proven to be correct will meet its specification: there are no hidden bugs. The idea of a program logic is often simple, but employing it requires abstraction and discipline - things that are trained in the course. 

Content

Testing is important to guarantee that software is reliable. For modern complex software, testing can be expensive, because there are many behavioral patterns that must be tested. In the course we will investigate core concepts and theories of testing. You will be able to define testing as a goal directe process, and thereby being able to test programs more effectively. We will learn a number of basic techniques, so to be able to select the right technique in a particular case. Specifically, we will adress testing of games.

Testing a program exhaustively is seldomly feasible. You will not find all errors. In some application areas it is important to minimize the risk of errors (think of car electronics). We will therefore study program logic. With such logic, we can -in priciple at least- proof programs correct without testing them. The method is complete: a program proven to be correct will meet its specification: there are no hidden bugs.  The idea of a program logic is often simple, but employing it requires abstraction and discipline - things that are trained in the course. 

Themes:

• various concepts of test coverage
• testing levels (unit, integration, system, acceptation)
• testing techniques (property-based, partition, syntax driven, record-and-replay, mutation).