Unit Testing Lab Report

Unit Testing of Z Formal Specifications

Hasan Abbas

MCS173006

Capital University of Science and Technology [e-mail] Abstract: A unit test is a quality measurement and evaluation procedure applied in most enterprise software development activities. Generally, a unit test evaluates how software code complies with the overall objective of the software/application/program and how its fitness affects other smaller units. Unit tests may be performed manually - by one or more developer - or through an automated software solution.

In this paper I propose a simple framework for unit testing with Z specifications, and illustrate this framework by testing the first few levels of a POSIX specification.

Prolegomenon:

Unit testing determines

Unit testing in Software testing helps businesses pinpoint defects in their software and make appropriate corrections. Software testing also helps businesses discover errors and bugs so that they can improve overall system capacity and accuracy.

Benefits of Unit Testing

When application is tested completely at unit level its quality will become more reliable, it will last longer and will perform resourcefully even if pressed to maximum capacity. Also, software can be configured so that it will operate well even when conditions are less than optimal.

Testing can also improve overall security, but testing is not a simple process. Each day, there will be difficult challenges that involve coding and decoding. The testing process is an important phase during the software development because each small module must be tested to ensure its accuracy and validity. Fig

The Z notation a formal specification language used for describing and modelling computing systems. It is targeted at the clear specification of computer programs and computer-based systems in general.

History

In 1974, Jean-Raymond Abrial published "Data Semantics".He used a notation that would later be taught in the University of Grenoble until the end of the 1980s. While at EDF (Électricité de France), Abrial wrote internal notes on Z. The Z notation is used in the 1980 book Méthodes de programmation.

Z was originally proposed by Abrial in 1977 with the help of Steve Schuman and Bertrand Meyer. It was developed further at the Programming Research Group at Oxford University, where Abrial worked in the early 1980s, having arrived at Oxford in September 1979.

Abrial has said that Z is so named "Because it is the ultimate language! Although the name " Zermelo" is also associated with the Z notation.

Standards

ISO completed a Z standardization effort in 2002. This standard and a technical corrigendum are available from ISO for