The objective of testing, stated simply, is to find the greatest possible number of errors with a manageable amount of effort applied over ...
The objective of testing, stated simply, is to find the greatest possible number of errors with a manageable amount of effort applied over a realistic time span. Although this fundamental objective remains unchanged for object-oriented software, the nature of OO programs changes both testing strategy and testing tactics.
It might be argued that, as OOA and OOD mature, greater reuse of design patterns will mitigate the need for heavy testing of OO systems. Exactly the opposite is true. Binder discusses this when he states:
Each reuse is a new context of usage and retesting is prudent. It seems likely that more, not less, testing will be needed to obtain high reliability in object-oriented systems.
The testing of OO systems presents a new set of challenges to the software engineer. The definition of testing must be broadened to include error discovery techniques (formal technical reviews) applied to OOA and OOD models. The completeness and consistency of OO representations must be assessed as they are built. Unit testing loses much of its meaning, and integration strategies change significantly. In summary, both testing strategies and testing tactics must account for the unique characteristics of OO software.
