Novel technique for cost reduction in mutation testing

作者：Jiang Yuting; Li Bixin^*

来源：Journal of Southeast University (english Edition), 2011, 27(1): 17-21.

DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1003-7985.2011.01.004

• Execution cost
• Mutation distance
• Mutation testing
• Sample learning
• Test case selection

Aimed at the problem of expensive costs in mutation testing which has hampered its wide use, a technique of introducing a test case selection into the process of mutation testing is proposed. For each mutant, a fixed number of test cases are selected to constrain the maximum allowable executions so as to reduce useless work. Test case selection largely depends on the degree of mutation. The mutation distance is an index describing the semantic difference between the original program and the mutated program. It represents the percentage of effective test cases in a test set, so it can be used to guide the selection of test cases. The bigger the mutation distance is, the easier it is that the mutant will be killed, so the corresponding number of effective test cases for this mutant is greater. Experimental results suggest that the technique can remarkably reduce execution costs without a significant loss of test effectiveness.

• 出版日期2011
• 单位东南大学