Tackling the equivalent mutant problem in real-time systems : the 12 commandments of model-based mutation testing
(2020) SPLC ’20: 24th ACM International Systems and Software Product Line Conference — Location: Montreal Quebec Canada
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- Abstract
- Mutation testing can effectively drive test generation to reveal faults in software systems. However, it faces a typical efficiency issue as it can produce many mutants that are equivalent to the original system, making it impossible to generate test cases. We consider this problem when model-based mutation testing is applied to real-time system product lines, represented as timed automata. We define novel, time-specific mutation operators and formulate the equivalent mutant problem in the frame of timed refinement relations. Further, we study in which cases a mutation yields an equivalent mutant. Our theoretical results provide guidance to system engineers, allowing them to eliminate mutations from which no test case can be produced. Our evaluation, based on a proof-of-concept tool and an industrial case from the automotive domain, confirms the validity of our theory and demonstrates that our approach can eliminate many of the equivalent mutants (88% in our case study).
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Citations
Basile, D., Beek, M. H. t., Cordy, M., & Legay, A. (2020). Tackling the equivalent mutant problem in real-time systems : the 12 commandments of model-based mutation testing. Proceedings of the 24th ACM Conference on Systems and Software Product Line: Volume A - Volume A. Published. SPLC ’20: 24th ACM International Systems and Software Product Line Conference, Montreal Quebec Canada. https://doi.org/10.1145/3382025.3414966