Pairwise test set calculation using k-partite graphs

Many software faults are triggered by unusual combinations of input values and can be detected using pairwise test sets that cover each pair of input values. The generation of pairwise test sets with a minimal size is an NP-complete problem which implies that many algorithms are either expensive or based on a random process. In this paper we present a deterministic algorithm that exploits our observation that the pairwise testing problem can be modeled as a k-partite graph problem. We calculate the test set using well investigated graph algorithms that take advantage of properties of k-partite graphs. We present evaluation results that prove the applicability of our algorithm and discuss possible improvement of our approach.