Generators¶
Generators generate test cases, or instructions that control the flow of a test experiment. The goal is to cover a large test space by strategic permutations (iterators), walks along paths of a state machine (sm-walker), or by constructing scenarios for racing conditions (racer). The actual tests are performed based on tiny engines written in the test’s native language. Those engines are fed with data that HWUT provides based on a formal description of the test space. The brief formal test descriptions are at the same time redundancy free expressions of a large test space. The brievity of these expressions support the transparancy of test descriptions.
Note
When tests expand in larger space
don’t bother writting all by hand.
With generators right in place
a smart line hoses all dry land.
The following three chapters describe the generator types: ‘iterator’, ‘sm-walker’, and ‘racer’. They explain their principal ideas and provide some basic usage examples.