Automated and model-based testing with ecFeed

We have held several implementation and advisory roles in NAV. Lately, we have primarily contributed in introducing model-based testing for more efficient design of test cases and automated test data generation.

Testify has been responsible for introducing model-based testing at NAV and for training developers, test managers and test developers in practical model-based testing with the Java tool ecFeed.

Here we have demonstrated how unit tests, component test and front-end tests can be implemented more efficiently and with better coverage than before using our ecFeed tool. We have held a number of training courses and workshops, and assisted in making a plan for further expanding and improving team-based testing, in collaboration with the test manager and the teams’ developers.

ecFeed is used to model systems under test and generating test cases to reach the desired coverage. The models were also used to generate data for use during testing. The front-end tests were implemented in Java, with ecFeed generating input data for Selenium for testing web pages.

For the component tests, Spring framework and ecFeed were used to test isolated software components by creating mock implementations of the other components. We also generated test data in the form of XML documents based on XSD using the JAXB framework. Another task we performed with very positive results was analysing and rewriting old Fitness tests that were difficult to maintain and did not have sufficient coverage.

The conclusion of the analysis was that model-based, automated, combinatiorial test generation (with ecFeed) was well-suited to reduce maintenance work.