Premium
Formal specification and testing: A case study
Author(s) -
Laycock Gilbert
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
software testing, verification and reliability
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.216
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1099-1689
pISSN - 0960-0833
DOI - 10.1002/stvr.4370020104
Subject(s) - computer science , formal specification , notation , popularity , formal methods , programming language , partition (number theory) , b method , software engineering , refinement , system requirements specification , mathematics , arithmetic , psychology , social psychology , combinatorics
Z is a formal notation for writing system specifications that has been growing in popularity over recent years. This paper examines some of the issues involved in applying a ‘partition based’ testing method to a system specified in Z. Details of an extensive case study are given, from specification and implementation of the system to the development and execution of test cases. The strategy is found to have benefits compared to those based on less formal specifications, but there are limitations to the approach, and difficulties that need addressing.