A Modular Framework Approach to Regression Testing of SQL

Abstract: Regression testing of SQL statements in database management systems is a time-consuming process that requires much developer effort. Adding and updating test cases is tedious and validating test case results cannot be done without considering database state. These problems can lead to fewer test cases being used, likely affecting test coverage and the quality of testing negatively. Therefore, it is important to automate and reduce the required workload for this kind of testing. This work proposes a framework for minimizing the required developer effort for managing and running SQL regression tests through a modular framework design. Modularity is achieved through well-defined interfaces and makes it possible to customize large parts of the framework functionality, such as the user interface and test execution, without affecting the rest of the system. While the extensibility is the main result of the thesis work, the default component implementations offer some alleviation of developer effort compared with other existing tools. However, more advanced component implementations should be a high priority for future users, as some usability limitations still exists.