Regression testing of web applications using Record/Replay tools

Abstract

Software engineers often use record/replay tools to enable the automated testing of web applications. Tests created in this man- ner can then be used to regression test new versions of the web applications as they evolve. Web application tests recorded by record/replay tools, however, can be quite brittle; they can easily break as applications change. For this reason, researchers have be- gun to seek approaches for automatically repairing record/replay tests. This research investigates different aspects in relation to test- ing web applications using record/replay tools. The areas that we are interested in include taxonomizing the causes behind breakages and developing automated techniques to repair breakages, creating prevention techniques to stop the occurrence of breakages and de- veloping automated frameworks for root cause analysis. Finally, we intend to evaluate all of these activities via controlled studies involving software engineers and real web application tests.