Monday, March 17, 2003

TCK - What is it? The TCK (Techonology Compatibility Kit) is a suite of tests that test an implementation of a Java Specification against the behavior of the RI (Reference Implementation). Note that I said that it tests behavior against the RI and not the specification. The purpose of the test suite is for Sun to ensure that your implementation of CLDC (for example) is compliant with the RI. In order to earn compliance, for example, you can't add any additional API that is not in the specification to your implementation. If I recall this is what Microsoft J++ did...But the real question is...what if you fail a test...In my experience I found that there are typically three causes for failing a test : The test does not test something in the specification. In this case, the test is testing an RI specific feature that is not required by the specification. Typically the specification is not clear but the test is included. In this case you can petition to have the test removed, since your implementation can still follow the specification but still fails the test.. The RI is not compliant with the specification, but still passes the test since by definition an RI is the "reference" and therefore must be compliant with itself. My guess is that this occurs because the people writing the tests already have an RI and are basing the tests on the RI and not the specification. If the author of the RI makes a mistake the test will not catch it...Write your tests first!!! The test is accurate and your implementation does not comply....In this case you have to fix your implementation in order to be compliant.... Well anyways...those are my personal musings for the day....Off to the Triangle Java User Group meeting... 5:03:51 PM    comment []

© Copyright 2004 Peter Ghali.