Abstract
To model real-world software systems, modelling paradigms should support a form of compositionality. In interface theory and model-based testing with inputs and outputs, conjunctive operators have been introduced: the behaviour allowed by composed specification \(s_1 \wedge s_2\) is the behaviour allowed by both partial models \(s_1\) and \(s_2\). The models at hand are non-deterministic interface automata, but the interaction between non-determinism and conjunction is not yet well understood. On the other hand, in the theory of alternating automata, conjunction and non-determinism are core aspects. Alternating automata have not been considered in the context of inputs and outputs, making them less suitable for modelling software interfaces. In this paper, we combine the two modelling paradigms to define alternating interface automata (AIA). We equip these automata with an observational, trace-based semantics, and define testers, to establish correctness of black-box interfaces with respect to an AIA specification.
Funded by the Netherlands Organisation of Scientific Research (NWO-TTW), project 13859: SUMBAT - SUpersizing Model-BAsed Testing
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We thank Jan Tretmans and Frits Vaandrager for their valuable feedback.
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Janssen, R. (2020). Combining Partial Specifications using Alternating Interface Automata. In: Wehrheim, H., Cabot, J. (eds) Fundamental Approaches to Software Engineering. FASE 2020. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 12076. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45234-6_23
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