ICST 2023
Sun 16 - Thu 20 April 2023 Dublin, Ireland
Sun 16 Apr 2023 14:00 - 14:30 at Grand canal 4 - Session 2

Despite its potential quality benefits, the cost of mutation testing and the immaturity of mutation tools for many languages have led to a lack of adoption in industrial software development. In an exploratory case study at Zenseact—a company in the automotive domain—we have explored how mutation testing could be effectively applied in a typical Continuous Integration-based workflow. We evaluated the capabilities of C++ mutation tools, and demonstrate their use in GitHub Actions-based CI workflows. Our investigation reveals that Dextool and Mull could be used in a CI workflow. Additionally, we conducted an interview study to understand how developers would use mutation testing in their CI workflows. Based on our qualitative analysis and practices proposed in literature, we discuss recommendations to integrate mutation testing in a CI workflow. For instance, visualising trends in the mutation score enable practitioners to understand how test quality is evolving. Moreover, tools should have a balance between offering fast feedback and keeping or flagging relevant mutants. Lastly, practitioners raised the need that the mutation should be applied at commit level, and that developers inexperienced with mutation testing should be trained in the implications of the practice.

Sun 16 Apr

Displayed time zone: Dublin change

14:00 - 15:30
14:00
30m
Talk
Mutation Testing in Continuous Integration: An Exploratory Industrial Case Study
Mutation
Jonatan Örgård Chalmers | University of Gothenburg, Gregory Gay Chalmers | University of Gothenburg, Francisco Gomes de Oliveira Neto Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden / University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Kim Viggedal Zenseact
14:30
30m
Talk
Validation of Mutation Testing in the Safety Critical Industry through a Pilot Study
Mutation
Sten Vercammen University of Antwerp, Belgium, Markus Borg CodeScene, Serge Demeyer University of Antwerp; Flanders Make
15:00
30m
Awards
Best paper award and closing
Mutation