Rotten Green Tests in Google Test

Abstract

Executable unit tests are a key component of many software engineering methodologies. A “green” test is one that is reported as passing (successfully testing some software feature). However, it is common for a test harness to assume that a test has passed when, in fact, it has merely not reported a failure. In this gap, where the “excluded middle” lives and thrives, we find the Rotten Green Test: A test that looks like it does something useful, but in fact does not.

BibTeX

@inproceedings{Robinson:FSE23,
  author    = {Paul Robinson},
  title     = {Rotten Green Tests in Google Test},
  booktitle = {{ESEC/SIGSOFT} {FSE}},
  pages     = {2020--2025},
  publisher = {{ACM}},
  year      = {2023},
}

Rotten Green Tests in Google Test

Abstract

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