As I've heard the term used, it refers to a process of
thorough, _scripted_, (sub-)system testing. A test suite,
developed in tandem with the system (often by a team of
testing programmers, not the system developers), includes
input and correct output for every operation the program
is to perform. A test script executes the system and
examines it's output for variation from the expected
output. When output is expected to change, the test
suite data is updated to reflect this. When new
functions are added to the system, input data is added
to the test suite data along with expected output,
and the exercise and comparison scripts are updated to
confirm expected operation.

This should insure that maintenance introduces no
"unexpected features". Too often the test suite is
much larger than the system it tests, and reports errors
that are found to be in the test suite rather than the
tested system.

Regression testing applied to a single unit might be
helpful, but could not test how the unit would
operate within the system, and would entail the
cost of maintaing another test suite.

Book links (watch out for wrap):
http://www.businessanalysisbooks.com/index.html?RegressionTesting
http://search.oreilly.com/cgi-bin/search?term=regression&category=All&pref=a
ll

> -----Original Message-----
> From: David T Darnell [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2001 7:29 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: OT: regression testing - what exactly?
>
>
> Can someone give me, or point me to, a really thorough and
> accurate definition of the term
>
> Regression Testing
>
> As it applies to software maintenance or QA?
>
> I have done what a lot of my employers have called
> "regression testing" but somehow feel they have
> all misapplied the term.
>
> Perhaps, someone can recommend some excellent book on testing
> in software development, preferable with a Computer Science
> orientation.
>
> Thanks,,
>
> Dave Darnell
>
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