An Approach for the Generation of Multi-Objective Algorithms Applied to the Integration and Test Order Problem

Giovani Guizzo,Aurora Pozo,Silvia Regina Vergilio,Thaina Mariani

doi:10.5753/jserd.2021.816

Abstract

Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithms (MOEAs) have been successfully applied to solve hard real software engineering problems. However, to choose and design a MOEA is considered a difficult task, since there are several parameters and components to be configured. These aspects directly impact the generated solutions and the performance of MOEAs. In this sense, this paper proposes an approach for the automatic generation of MOEAs applied to the Integration and Test Order (ITO) problem. Such a problem refers to the generation of optimal sequences of units for integration testing. The approach includes a set of parameters and components of different MOEAs, and is implemented with two design algorithms: Grammatical Evolution (GE) and Iterated Racing (irace). Evaluation results are presented, comparing the MOEAs generated by both design algorithms. Furthermore, the generated MOEAs are compared to two well-known MOEAs used in the literature to solve the ITO problem. Results show that the MOEAs generated with GE and irace perform similarly, and both outperform traditional MOEAs. The approach can reduce efforts spent to design and configure MOEAs, and serves as basis for implementing solutions to other software engineering problems.

Highlights

The testing activity is usually performed in different phases
This paper proposes an approach for the automatic generation of MultiObjective Evolutionary Algorithms (MOEAs) applied to the Integration and Test Order (ITO) problem
The approach includes a set of parameters and components of different MOEAs, and is imple mented with two design algorithms: Grammatical Evolution (GE) and Iterated Racing

Summary

Introduction

The testing activity is usually performed in different phases. In the unit testing phase, each module (unit) is individually tested. There are some factors to take into consideration, such as the number of re quired methods, attributes, and parameters to be emulated in the stub, besides other ones associated with the software de velopment (Assunção et al, 2014), making this task a multi objective problem that cannot be solved by the tester in a short time. Such problem is known in the literature as In tegration and Testing Order problem (ITO) and appears in different contexts such as, component based development, objectoriented development, aspectoriented development, and software product line engineering. Such an order impacts the sequence in which units are developed; the design and execution of test cases; the order in which integration faults are revealed; and the number of required stubs for the units that possibly are not available, but from which the unit being tested depends on

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Discussion

Conclusion