jRapture: A Capture/Replay tool for observation-based testing

ABSTRACT

We describe the design of jRapture: a tool for capturing and replaying Java program executions in the field. jRapture works with Java binaries (byte code) and any compliant implementation of the Java virtual machine. It employs a lightweight, transparent capture process that permits unobtrusive capture of a Java programs executions. jRapture captures interactions between a Java program and the system, including GUI, file, and console inputs, among other types, and on replay it presents each thread with exactly the same input sequence it saw during capture. In addition, jRapture has a profiling interface that permits a Java program to be instrumented for profiling ó after its executions have been captured. Using an XML-based profiling specification language a tester can specify various forms of profiling to be carried out during replay.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.3 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
      D.3.2 Language Classifications

          Nouns: Java

General Terms:
Design, Languages, Performance, Theory

Keywords:
Java, capture/replay, execution profiling, observation-based testing, software testing