README.md

Regression Tests

I've opted by implementing a regression test approach over a unit testing one.

This is a rather dynamic implementation that works as follows:

1. assuming the current implementation is working as expected (as is the requirement when a regression-tests approach is chosen)
2. generating regression tests dynamically using python generate.py, which works as follows:
   • create a folder to hold the JSON files that describe the regression tests
   • set a specific set of options for each parameter the program receives: grid, seed, rho, max_clusters. These include empty parameters (None in python), corner cases like 0s and large values, and regular values for that parameter
   • create a JSON file for each combination of the above parameters (currently a total of 2268 tests)
   • run the code with those parameters and save the real output in the same JSON file
3. running the tests with python test.py which will:
   • compile the code using the previously written Makefile through python
   • look for JSON files inside the directory specified in TESTS_PATTERN
   • for each test pass the params that are not None (or null in JSON representation) and run the code through python
   • use the XUnit framework unittest to assert that the .dat and .pgm output files content matches the expected values

Naturally, it is expected that between steps 2. and 3. there might be code changes that will then be tested by the regression tests.