Models

Especially in Model Driven Engineering or in OMG's model-driven architecture the model is built before or parallel to the development process of the system under test. The model can also be constructed from the completed system. Recently the model is created mostly manually, but there are also attempts to create the model automatically, for instance out of the source code. One important way to create new models is by model transformation, using languages like ATL, a QVT-like Domain Specific Language.

Model-based testing inherits the complexity of the domain or, more particularly, of the related domain models.

An example of a model-based testing workflow
(offline test case generation). IXIT refers to
"implementation extra information" and denotes
here the total package of information that is
needed when the abstract test suite is converted
into an executable one. Typically, it includes
information about test harness, data mappings and
SUT configuration.

Deploying model-based testing

There are various known ways to deploy model-based testing, which include online testing, offline generation of executable tests, and offline generation of manually deployable tests.

Online testing means that a model-based testing tool connects “directly” to a system under test and tests it dynamically.

Offline generation of executable tests means that a model-based testing tool generates test cases as a computer-readable asset that can be later deployed automatically. This asset can be, for instance, a collection of Python classes that embodies the generated testing logic.

Offline generation of manually deployable tests means that a model-based testing tool generates test cases as a human-readable asset that can be later deployed manually. This asset can be, for instance, a PDF document in English that describes the generated test steps.