Executable Instruction

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Discussion

An Executable Instruction specifies an operation in a form that an Execution Facility can interpret or perform.

An Executable Instruction can implement:

An actionA calculationA ValidationA communicationA state transitionA measurementAn observationA decisionA controlAn Executable Instruction can occur within:

Source codeCompiled codeA scriptA commandDeclarative automationA tool-specific procedureA test-framework procedureAn executable modelA service requestA hardware-control procedureAnother form that an Execution Facility can interpret or performAn Executable Instruction can identify or reference:

Its identityIts nameIts descriptionIts VersionIts instruction typeIts language or formatIts operationIts applicable Test ArgumentsIts applicable Test Argument ValuesIts required inputsIts produced outputsIts required dependenciesIts required Execution FacilitiesIts applicable Test ItemsIts applicable Test EnvironmentsIts preconditionsIts completion conditionIts failure conditionIts timeoutIts applicable Governance PoliciesIts ProvenanceIts TraceabilityA Test Executable contains or references one or more Executable Instructions that implement a test action or Validation.

A Test Executable can contain the Executable Instructions directly or reference an independently maintained Executable Artifact that contains them.

An Execution Facility interprets or performs the Executable Instructions during Test Execution.

Definition

instruction expressed in a form that an Execution Facility can interpret or perform

Source

Adapted from:

DIDO Reference Implementation Conceptual ModelDIDO-TE draft Requirements RegisterOMG TestIF describes a TestExecutable as a low-level procedural definition that supports automated testing through code, scripts, or other executable information.

OMG TestIF does not define Executable Instruction as a separate TestIF model element. This definition introduces Executable Instruction to distinguish an instruction from:

The Test Step that specifies the required test action or ValidationThe Test Executable that contains or references the instructionThe Executable Artifact that stores or packages the instructionThe Execution Facility that interprets or performs the instruction

Note

Every Executable Instruction expresses an operation in a form that an identified Execution Facility can interpret or perform.

An Executable Instruction differs from a Test Step:

A Test Step specifies a test action or Validation independently of a particular execution mechanismAn Executable Instruction provides part or all of the executable realization of that action or ValidationAn Executable Instruction differs from a Test Executable:

An Executable Instruction specifies an operationA Test Executable contains, organizes, or references one or more Executable InstructionsAn Executable Instruction differs from an Executable Artifact:

An Executable Instruction specifies an operationAn Executable Artifact stores, packages, or provides one or more Executable InstructionsAn Executable Instruction differs from an Execution Facility:

An Executable Instruction specifies the operationAn Execution Facility interprets or performs the operationAn Executable Instruction does not require direct execution by a processor. An Execution Facility can include:

An interpreterA command processorAn automation engineA test frameworkA model-execution engineA serviceA device controllerAnother facility capable of interpreting or performing the instructionA natural-language direction intended only for human interpretation is not an Executable Instruction under this definition. A direction qualifies as an Executable Instruction when an identified Execution Facility can interpret or perform it according to defined execution rules.

An Executable Instruction is not necessarily:

Source codeCompiled codeIndependently deployableIndependently reusableSpecific to testingContained within a Test ExecutableStored in a particular fileAssociated with a particular programming languageA change to an Executable Instruction’s operation, inputs, outputs, parameters, control flow, dependencies, expected behavior, or execution requirements can create a new Version under the applicable versioning policy.

A reproducible Test Run should identify the exact Versions of the Executable Instructions and referenced Executable Artifacts used during Test Execution.

Example

A Test Step requires a Node to submit a proposed transaction through a specified Endpoint.

A Test Executable references a versioned script containing Executable Instructions that:

Read the applicable Test Argument ValuesEstablish a connection to the EndpointSubmit the proposed transactionCapture the responseRecord the transaction identifierReturn the submission statusPreserve the resulting EvidenceDuring Test Execution, the applicable Execution Facility interprets or performs the Executable Instructions.

The Test Run records:

The Test Executable identityThe Test Executable VersionThe referenced Executable ArtifactThe Executable Artifact VersionThe Executable Artifact digestThe applicable Test Argument ValuesThe applicable Test EnvironmentThe resulting Test ResultThe supporting Evidence

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