Automated Testing of Java ABNF Grammar Parsers with QuickCheck

Abstract

I present a new technique to test Java ABNF grammar parsers using Erlang/QuickCheck, a property based test tool. Its development was lead through the case study of the Java reference implementation of the SIP protocol. The result was successful in the case study, and the technique was also used with some other parser to prove its portability. The study revealed the importance of a complete knowledge about the randomly generated complex strings as the first step before fixing the found errors. The developed infrastructure provides that information, and combined with the use of a debugger with the parser, gives a powerful tool to find and fix obscure errors inside the parser code.