pointtest

Pointtest is a term used in software testing and statistical evaluation to describe a testing approach focused on evaluating the behavior of a system at individual data points or parameter values, rather than at aggregated metrics. It emphasizes point-level validation to confirm that specific inputs produce correct and expected outputs.

The term arises from practical usage within testing communities and is not a single standardized methodology. It is often implemented as a lightweight technique within broader test suites, where discrete tests are defined for chosen points rather than for ranges or distributions. Pointtest can be combined with automated test generation to ensure reproducible, point-specific checks across a codebase or API.

Methodology typically involves selecting a representative set of discrete points from the input domain, including typical cases, boundary values, and potential edge conditions. Each point is used to drive a test execution, and results are recorded on a per-point basis. Test coverage is described in terms of the number and diversity of points exercised, and tooling may compare observed results against expected outcomes or invariants at those points.

Applications of pointtest appear in numerical software, geospatial systems, and APIs where exact point-level behavior matters. It is often used to supplement broader validation techniques such as boundary value analysis and equivalence partitioning, providing a straightforward way to document and reproduce specific test scenarios.

See also: boundary value analysis, equivalence partitioning, test coverage, property-based testing.