Automated Specification-Based Test Generation for Web Clients and RESTful APIs Using Symbolic Execution

This paper introduces an innovative approach to automated testing for web applications and RESTful APIs that goes beyond traditional isolated API request testing. It focuses on complex, state-dependent interactions that often lead to business logic errors. The proposed method uses a formal specification language inspired by design-by-contract, state charts, symbolic execution, and API mocking to generate state-aware abstract test cases (ATCs). These are then turned into concrete test cases to improve test coverage and reliability. Experimental results demonstrate that this approach reduces manual effort, improves test coverage, and uncovers critical hidden failures, leading to more dependable web applications.