Basis path testing

Basis path testing, or structured testing, is a method for designing test cases intended to examine each possible linearly independent path of execution at least once. A linearly independent path is a sequence of commands without possible branch points. A branch point exists if a conditional permits alternative execution paths depending on the outcome of a logical test.

By creating a set of basis paths, creating and executing tests for these paths, 100% statement and 100% branch coverage can be guaranteed.

See also

• Cyclomatic complexity

External links

• What is Basis Path Testing? from the National Institute for Science and Technology

Basis path testing is a white box testing technique that is used to test the code based on control flow. The method uses a control flowchart and a control flow graph to convert the code into a model and then derive independent test paths from it.

Each test path corresponds to one possible execution in the software. These test paths are then used to generate test cases. The test cases are then used to verify the code for its correctness.