Identifying test cases to be run after changes to modules of a software application

• US 8,694,966 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2010
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Gupta, Ravi Kant
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shyu, Jing-Yih
• Application Number:
  US12/717,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20110219359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/368 for test version control, e.g. updating test cases to a new software version
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs

Abstract

An aspect of the present invention facilitates identification of test cases to be run after changes to modules of a software application. In one embodiment, a reference data is generated by inspecting the instructions (static analysis) forming the modules of the software application, with the reference data specifying a corresponding set of modules in the application that are referenced by each of the modules in the application. The reference data is then examined to find a referencing set of modules which reference any of the changed modules either as immediate reference or multi-level reference through other modules. Test cases invoking any of the modules in the referencing set are identified as suitable test cases to be run.

Claims

1. A method of testing an application after changes to any of a plurality of modules forming said application, said method comprising:

receiving an indication that a set of modules have changed, wherein said set of modules is contained in said plurality of modules;

determining a final set of modules by static analysis of said plurality of modules, said final set of modules including said changed set of modules and a referencing set of modules of said plurality of modules, wherein each module of said referencing set of modules references at least one of said changed set of modules either as immediate reference or multi-level reference through other modules,

said final set of modules not including any module by virtue of being referenced by any of said changed set of modules,

wherein said application contains a first module which is immediately referenced by one of said changed set of modules,

wherein said determining does not include said first module in said referencing set of modules;

identifying a set of test cases to cover testing of all of said final set of modules, wherein said identifying includes a test case in said set of test cases only if the test case operates to test at least one of said final set of modules such that said set of test cases is a minimal set that covers testing of all of said final set of modules; and

running said set of test cases with said changed set of modules merged into said plurality of modules,

wherein said determining by said static analysis comprises;

generating a reference data by inspecting the instructions forming said plurality of modules, wherein said reference data specifies for each module a corresponding set of modules contained in said plurality of modules that are referenced by said module;

finding, in response to said receiving, said referencing set of modules by examining said reference data; and

adding said referencing set of modules to said changed set of modules to create said final set of modules.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of modules are maintained in a code repository, and wherein said determining is performed before merging said changed set of modules with said application in said code repository.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking whether said set of test cases is empty; and

notifying a developer of the lack of test cases to cover testing of said changed set of modules upon said checking determining said set of test cases to be empty.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating further comprises:

receiving, from a developer, additional data indicating that a first module is indirectly referenced by a second module, said first module and said second module being contained in said plurality of modules,

wherein said generating generates said reference data to specify that said first module is referenced by said second module based on said additional data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said finding comprises:

examining said reference data to identify a second set of modules, wherein each of said second set of modules has an immediate reference to at least one of said changed set of modules;

performing iteratively said examining to identify a plurality of levels of modules based on said second set of modules, wherein said second set of modules is considered as a first level of modules and each of a next level of modules has reference to at least one of a previous level of modules, said next level of modules and said previous level of modules being contained in said plurality of modules; and

including said second set of modules and said plurality of levels of modules in said referencing set of modules.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of test cases are used to test said application, said method further comprising:

maintaining a mapping data specifying a corresponding one of a plurality of subsets of modules tested by each of said plurality of test cases, said plurality of subsets of modules being contained in said plurality of modules,

wherein said identifying said set of test cases for a first module contained in said final set of modules comprises;

checking whether said first module is contained in said plurality of subsets of modules; and

including a first test case in said set of test cases only when said checking determines that said first module is contained in the corresponding subset of modules, said first test case being contained in said plurality of test cases.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each of said plurality of modules corresponds to a code file containing instructions according to a programming language and each of said plurality of test cases corresponds to a test script containing instructions according to a scripting language, wherein said scripting language is different from said programming language.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of test cases are used to test said application, wherein said plurality of test cases are also included in said plurality of modules forming said application, wherein said identifying comprises:

checking whether each of said final set of modules is of a test case type; and

including the modules that are of said test case type in said set of test cases.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of modules including said plurality of test cases corresponds to a code file containing instructions according to a programming language.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said application is a multi-layered application with said plurality of modules belonging to a set of layers, wherein the modules for each of said set of layers is maintained in different code repositories, wherein said changed set of modules belong to a first layer contained in said set of layers, said method comprising:

checking, after said finding, whether said referencing set of modules includes a second module belonging to a second layer contained in said set of layers, said second layer being different from said first layer; and

notifying a developer of an interface mismatch between said first layer and said second layer upon said checking determining the existence of said second module, wherein said interface mismatch corresponds to changes made to a first module contained in said final set of modules referenced by said second module,

whereby said developer is enabled to fix said interface mismatch before integration of said set of layers from different code repositories.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising storing said reference data in a secondary storage after said generating,

wherein said finding finds said referencing set of modules after retrieving said reference data from said secondary storage without requiring said inspecting of the instructions forming the modules in layers other than said first layer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of modules forming said application is divided into a set of packages, with each package related a corresponding functionality provided by said application, wherein said changed set of modules is contained in a first package contained in said set of packages, said first package being related to a first functionality provided by said application, said method comprising:

checking whether said referencing set of modules includes a third module belonging to a third package contained in said set of packages, said third package being different from said first package and being related to a third functionality different from said first functionality;

notifying a code reviewer to review the impact of said first functionality on said third functionality upon said checking determining the existence of said third module.

13. A system facilitating testing of an application in relation to changes to a set of modules contained in a plurality of modules forming said application, said system comprising:

a processor;

a random access memory (RAM); and

a non-transitory machine readable medium to store a first set of instructions and a second set of instructions, wherein said first set of instructions when retrieved into said RAM and executed by said processor form said application, said second set of instructions when retrieved into said RAM and executed by said processor form a testing tool designed to perform the actions of;

determining a final set of modules by static analysis of said plurality of modules, said final set of modules including said changed set of modules and a referencing set of modules of said plurality of modules, wherein each module of said referencing set of modules references at least one of said changed set of modules either as immediate reference or multi-level reference through other modules,

said final set of modules not including any module by virtue of being referenced by any of said changed set of modules,

wherein said application contains a first module which is immediately referenced by one of said changed set of modules, wherein said determining does not include said first module in said referencing set of modules;

identifying a set of test cases to cover testing of said final set of modules, wherein said identifying includes a test case in said set of test cases only if the test case operates to test at least one of said final set of modules such that said set of test cases is a minimal set that covers testing of all of said final set of modules; and

running said set of test cases with said changed set of modules merged into said plurality of modules,

wherein said determining by said static analysis comprises;

generating a reference data by inspecting the instructions forming said plurality of modules, wherein said reference data specifies for each module a corresponding set of modules contained in said plurality of modules that are referenced by said module;

finding, in response to said receiving, said referencing set of modules by examining said reference data; and

adding said referencing set of modules to said changed set of modules to create said final set of modules.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said plurality of modules are maintained in a code repository, and wherein said testing tool performs said determining before merging said changed set of modules with said application in said code repository.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein for said generating, said testing tool further performs the actions of:

receiving, from a developer, additional data indicating that a first module is indirectly referenced by a second module, said first module and said second module being contained in said plurality of modules,

wherein said generating generates said reference data to specify that said first module is referenced by said second module based on said additional data.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein for said finding, said testing tool performs the actions of:

examining said reference data to identify a second set of modules, wherein each of said second set of modules has an immediate reference to at least one of said changed set of modules;

performing iteratively said examining to identify a plurality of levels of modules based on said second set of modules, wherein said second set of modules is considered as a first level of modules and each of a next level of modules has reference to at least one of a previous level of modules, said next level of modules and said previous level of modules being contained in said plurality of modules; and

including said second set of modules and said plurality of levels of modules in said referencing set of modules.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein a plurality of test cases are used to test said application, said testing tool further performing the actions of:

maintaining a mapping data specifying a corresponding one of a plurality of subsets of modules tested by each of said plurality of test cases, said plurality of subsets of modules being contained in said plurality of modules,

wherein for said identifying said set of test cases for a first module contained in said final changed set of modules, said testing tool performs the actions of;

checking whether said first module is contained in said plurality of subsets of modules; and

including a first test case in said set of test cases only when said checking determines that said first module is contained in the corresponding subset of modules, said first test case being contained in said plurality of test cases.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein a plurality of test cases are used to test said application, wherein said plurality of test cases are also included in said plurality of modules forming said application, wherein for said identifying, said testing tool performs the actions of:

checking whether each of said final set of modules is of a test case type; and

including the modules that are of said test case type in said set of test cases.

19. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions for causing a system to facilitate identifying of test cases to be run after changes to an application, wherein execution of said one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors contained in said system causes said system to perform the actions of:

receiving a plurality of modules for said application, said plurality of modules including a first set of modules implementing a corresponding functionality of said application, and a second set of modules representing test cases to test to said first set of modules,

wherein each of said set of modules is designed to test corresponding one or more modules of the first set of modules by referencing said corresponding one or more modules;

generating a reference data by inspecting the instructions forming said plurality of modules, wherein said reference data specifies for each module, including said second set of modules, a corresponding set of modules contained in said plurality of modules that are referenced by said module;

receiving an indication that a set of modules have changed, wherein said set of modules is contained in said plurality of modules;

finding, based on said reference data and upon said receiving of said indication, a referencing set of modules which reference any of said changed set of modules either as immediate reference or multi-level reference through other modules, wherein said referencing set of modules contains at least one module by said immediate reference and at least one module by said multi-level reference, said referencing set of modules being contained in said plurality of modules,

wherein said changed set of modules and said referencing set of modules together form a final set of modules; and

determining those modules of said final set of modules that are contained in said second set of modules as a set of test cases to cover testing of said final set of modules,

wherein said final set of modules does not include any module by virtue of being referenced by any of said changed set of modules, wherein said application contains a first module which is immediately referenced by one of said changed set of modules, wherein said finding does not include said first module in said referencing set of modules,

wherein said set of test cases is a minimal set that covers testing of all of said final set of modules.

20. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 19, wherein said generating comprises one or more instructions for:

receiving, from a developer, additional data indicating that a first module is indirectly referenced by a second module, said first module and said second module being contained in said plurality of modules,

wherein said generating generates said reference data to specify that said first module is referenced by said second module based on said additional data.

21. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 19, wherein said finding comprises one or more instructions for:

examining said reference data to identify a first level of modules, wherein each of said first level of modules has an immediate reference to at least one of said changed set of modules;

performing iteratively said examining to identify a plurality of levels of modules based on said first level of modules, wherein a next level of modules has reference to at least one of a previous level of modules; and

including said first level of modules and said plurality of levels of modules in said referencing set of modules,

wherein said first level of modules, said next level of modules and said previous level of modules are contained in said plurality of modules.

22. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 19, wherein said second set of modules is of a test case type, wherein said determining comprises one or more instructions for:

checking whether each of said final set of modules is of said test case type; and

including only those modules of said final set of modules that are of said test case type in said set of test cases.