Abstract: A test for a piece of software may be created, and stored with the software. The software and the test may be stored in a code repository, where the test appears in a dependency graph, and is subject to version tracking, in a manner similar to other components of the software. These mechanisms may be used to determine whether a test is current relative to the software component that the test is used to evaluate. Tests may be developed by the software developers, by test developers, or by anyone else. Tests may be specified in a generic format, such as an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) format that meets some schema. The generic format test may be converted into a script that is usable with various script engines, thereby allowing tests to be developed in a test-engine-independent manner.

Abstract: A user interface for designing tests to be run against a piece of software. The user interface provides an environment in which test specifications including scenarios, business flow modules, flow lists, and steps and actions may be presented, created and modified. The user interface may be dynamically updated with data from a repository to update the presented information. Changes to code associated with the scenarios, business flow modules, flow lists, and steps and actions may be dynamically communicated back to a repository to update the code without a need to repackage an application associated with the code. The test specifications may be specified in a generic format, such as an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) format that meets a schema.