Test Script

Definition

A test script is a testing work product modeling a software program (often written in a procedural scripting language) that executes a test suite of test cases.

Goals

The goals of a test script areis to automate or document the following:

• Automate the execution of test cases.
• Support regression testing

Objectives

To support these goals, the objectives of a single test script include:

• Execute each test case in the test suite.
• Report the results of the test suite.

Benefits

A test script provides the following benefits:

• Automates a single test suite, thereby supporting regression testing.
• Failure to produce test scripts makes regression testing more expensive and less likely to occur.

Contents

• Test script objectives
• Test preparation (e.g., to place objects under test into the appropriate pre-test states)
• Test stimuli (e.g., to send test messages or raise test exceptions)
• Expected behavior (i.e., test oracle)
• Test reporting script
• Test finalization script

Stakeholders

• Producers:
  • The Software Development Team for unit test scripts.
  • The Integration Team for integration test scripts.
  • The Independent Test Team for system test scripts.
• Evaluator: Test Inspection Team
• Approvers: None.
• Maintainers:
  • The Software Development Team for unit test scripts.
  • The Integration Team for integration test scripts.
  • The Independent Test Team for system test scripts.
• Users:
  • The Software Development Team for unit testing of the software components.
• The Integration Team for performing integration testing.
• The Independent Test Team for performing system testing.

Phases

• Initiation: Completed
• Construction: Completed
• Delivery: Completed
• Usage: Maintained
• Retirement: Archived

Preconditions

A test case typically can be started if the following preconditions hold:

• The relevant sections of the project test plan is completed.
• The relevant team is staffed.
• The relevant requirements, architecture, or design is completed.
• The relevant item under test is started.
• The relevant test suite is started.

Inputs

• Work products:
  • Project Test Plan
  • System Requirements Specification
  • System Architecture Document
  • Javadoc including responsibilities
• Stakeholders:
  • None

Guidelines

• Test scripts will be used at all levels of testing (e.g., unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and launch testing).
• If the quality of the test scripts is not at least as good as the quality of the item under test, then it will be difficult to know if the defect causing the failure is in the item under test or in the test script.
• Test cases do not document the results of the tests, which are documented in the associated test reports.

Conventions

A test script is constrained by the following conventions:

• Content and Format Standard
• Inspection Checklist

Examples

• EAS Example Test Script