Fault sensitivity index-based multi-objective testcase prioritization

Kamal Garg – Shashi Shekhar

   Test case prioritization (TCP) is a regression technique that sequences test cases by assigning priority based on specific criteria defined by software testers. Various parameters, such as code coverage, statement coverage, and method coverage, are utilized in Test Case Prioritization (TCP), wherein metaheuristic techniques are widely employed to determine the optimal order of test cases based on these specified parameters. However, simply applying these techniques does not ensure the satisfaction of all the needs of software testers. This paper introduces an empirical study that employs the multi-objective test case prioritization (MOTCP) technique to prioritize the test cases based on target points defined by software testers. The study calculates a Software Complexity Index (SCI) at the code level, identifying fault-prone areas. Furthermore, a Test-case Complexity Index (TCI) is also used for prioritization. The proposed technique incorporates various target points defined by the software tester to calculate SCI and TCI, which serve as our main objectives for TCP. A detailed analysis is also performed to examine the impact of these target points on the generated optimal order of test cases. Finally, the proposed model is compared with other state-of-the-art techniques across various evaluation parameters.

Keywords: regression testing, test case prioritization, NSGA-2, soft computing, MOTCP, SCI, test case complexity index

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