Automatic generation of Unit test cases for .NET and Java [closed]

Answer 1

For .NET, Microsoft has Pex which will hopefully go mainstream for .NET 4.0, along with Code Contracts. I highly recommend watching the Channel 9 video.

It strikes me that this sort of thing is very good for very data-driven classes - parsers etc. I can't see that I'd very often start off with it, but a useful tool to have in your armoury nonetheless.

Answer 2

For Java, you can check EvoSuite, which is open source and currently active (disclaimer, I am one of its contributors). Also see related question for a list of more tools.

Answer 3

Although it seems counter-intuituve, you may also be interested in random test generation frameworks. Research has proven that it can be just as effective in finding bugs than systematic approaches based on coverage, as you suggest.

Check out Randoop both for .NET and Java. It works by generating a more or less random sequence of method calls, and checks contracts, crashes etc. It is fully automatic.

Also you may want to check out some other random testing tools based on QuickCheck, e.g. for Java, Scala, F#. that are more similar to Pex, i.e. you give a specification, or parametrized unit test, and the tool checks it for a number of generated input arguments.

I've found that this "parametrized" way of writing unit tests is actually a lot more natural in at least 60% of the cases, and finds lots more bugs.

Answer 4

For Java, try JUnit-Tools. It has own eclipse plugin along with good documentation.

Answer 5

For C# (or .NET in general), PEX might be that tool. It works at the IL level, and attempts to force its way into every branch. It has successfully uncovered a wide range of bugs (in the BCL etc).