Automated Tool Support for Category-Partition Testing: Design Decisions, UI and Examples of Use

2026-01-18

AI Summary

This work addresses the limitations of the Category-Partition (CP) testing method, which is often hindered by tedious manual execution and error-prone processes due to a lack of automation and visualization support. To overcome these challenges, the authors design and implement a CP testing tool featuring an integrated graphical user interface that fully automates the entire workflow—from defining parameters, environment variables, categories, and options (including constraints) to constructing test frames and generating test cases. The tool introduces type-aware option specifications (supporting Boolean, integer, real, and string types), a robust constraint-handling mechanism, and multiple combinatorial generation strategies, significantly enhancing both expressiveness and usability. Empirical validation through nine case studies demonstrates that the tool efficiently produces valid CP-compliant test cases, effectively supporting systematic test design.

Technology Category

• Constraint Satisfaction and Optimization: Constraint Programming
• Search and Optimization: Combinatorial Optimization
• Computer Vision: Object Detection & Categorization

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web performance, measurement, and characterization
• Web Mining and Content Analysis: Robustness and generalizability of Web mining methods
• Security and Privacy: Large-scale security measurements

Abstract

Category-Partition is a functional testing technique that is based on the idea that the input domain of the system under test can be divided into sub-domains, with the assumption that inputs that belong to the same sub-domain trigger a similar behaviour and that therefore it is sufficient to select one input from each sub-domain. Category-Partition proceeds in several steps, from the identification of so-called categories and choices, possibly constrained, which are subsequently used to form test frames, i.e., combinations of choices, and eventually test cases. This paper reports on an ongoing attempt to automate as many of those steps as possible, with graphical-user interface tool support. Specifically, the user interface allows the user to specify parameters as well as so-called environment variables, further specify categories and choices with optional constraints. Choices are provided with precise specifications with operations specific to their types (e.g., Boolean, Integer, Real, String). Then, the tool automates the construction of test frames, which are combinations of choices, according to alternative selection criteria, and the identification of input values for parameters and environment variables for these test frames, thereby producing test cases. The paper illustrates the capabilities of the tool with the use of nine different case studies.

Problem

• Category-Partition
• functional testing
• test case generation
• automated testing
• input domain partitioning

Innovation

• Category-Partition Testing
• Test Automation
• Graphical User Interface
• Test Case Generation
• Functional Testing