API Sanity AutoTest

Overview

API Sanity AutoTest is a tool for low cost automatic generation of basic tests for shared libraries based on the information in library header files and additional information about semantics of some library data types. Such tests can call APIs of target libraries with some correct parameters, and can detect typical problems like “out-of-the-box” crashes.

Using this method significantly lowers the barrier for developing an initial version of library tests. It can be then gradually improved with a more powerful test development framework as more resources become available. The method is based on analyzing API signatures and type definitions obtained from the library header files, and on creating parameter initialization sequences through comparison of target function parameter types with  return values or out-parameters of the other functions (usually, it is necessary to call a function to get a correct parameter value for another function, and the initialization sequence of necessary function calls can be quite long).

API Sanity AutoTest has been developed within the LSB Infrastructure Program, which is a joint effort of the ISPRAS and the Linux Foundation, the leading nonprofit international consortium dedicated to fostering the growth of Linux.

Resources

• Development site
• Wiki

License

This program is free software. You may use, redistribute and/or modify it under the terms of either the GNU GPL or LGPL.