Testproverna

Testproverna is a software framework that blends property-based testing with formal verification techniques. It provides a language-agnostic core for specifying properties and a proof-oriented backend that can discharge obligations to SMT solvers or interactive proof assistants. The project aims to allow developers to explore edge cases through automated test generation while obtaining formal guarantees for critical properties.

Testproverna originated at the Tech University Research Lab, with an initial release in 2018. It follows an open-source model under a permissive license, and a growing community contributes code, documentation, and tutorials. The architecture separates property specification, test generation, and proof discharge, and includes a property language, a test generator, a proof engine, and adapters for solvers such as Z3. Language bindings for common programming environments and a command-line interface are provided.

In practice, Testproverna is used for software verification, protocol analysis, and algorithm correctness studies. It supports automatic proof search as well as interactive proofs, enabling iterative refinement of specifications. The framework emphasizes traceability, offering counterexamples, proof traces, and reproducible environments to aid debugging.

Reception has been generally positive, highlighting the integration of testing and proving and the accelerated discovery of specification issues. Some users note a learning curve and the need for careful management of artifacts in large projects. The name Testproverna combines test and prover concepts into a distinctive noun.