An approach to regression testing using slicing

The authors present a novel approach to data-flow-based regression testing that uses slicing type algorithms to explicitly detect definition-use pairs that are affected by a program change. An important benefit of the slicing technique is that, unlike previous techniques, no data flow history is needed nor is the recomputation of data flow for the entire program required to detect affected definition-use pairs. The program changes drive the recomputation of the required partial data flow through slicing. Another advantage is that the proposed technique achieves the same testing coverage as a complete retest of the program without the need for maintaining and updating a test suite