2 Why We Need Model-Based Testing

328 Glossary
everything the system must do, might do, and must not do. A model program can
act as a specification. Contrast to design.
split action. A pair of actions, the start action and the finish action, associated with
the call and return of a single action method that has a return value and/or out or
byref parameters. Contrast to atomic action.
start action. The first action in a split action, associated with the call of the action
method.
state. The information stored in a system at one point in time. In a model program,
the state is the collection of all state variables and their values.
state filter. Apredicate that must be satisfied in the next state of a transition for
that transition to be included in exploration. State filters are a pruning technique.
state grouping. A collection of states that have the same value for a state property.
In exploration,apruning technique can exclude a state that does not provide a new
value for one of the properties. In testing, an adaptive strategy can select actions
that lead to state groupings that have not yet been visited.
state-independent. A method that does not read or update any state. It only reads
its parameters and returns a value.
state property. A value computed from a state. All states where the property has the
same value belong to the same state grouping. Also called an abstraction function
or a group label.
state transition. Transition.
state transition diagram. A picture of the directed graph that represents an FSM,
where bubbles represent states, arrows represent transitions, and labels on the arrows
represent actions.
state transition table. A table that represents an FSM, with one row for each transition
(or group of transitions with “don’t care” or “don’t change” values).
state variable. A variable in a model program that stores state. In the NModel framework,
static variables and instance variables, but not parameters or local variables,
are state variables.
static analysis. Analysis that checks code without executing it. Contrast to testing.
static class. In C#, a class labeled with the static modifier. A static class can only
have static variables and static methods.
step. The execution of an action.
stepper.Atest harness used with the NModel framework, which supports lockstep
execution.
stochastic. An algorithm that combines random and directed aspects. Some strategies
and sampling algorithms are stochastic.
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