TTCN

TTCN is a programming language used for testing of communication protocols and web services. A TTCN test suite consists of many test cases written in the TTCN programming language. Until version 2 the language was written in tables and called Tree and Tabular Combined Notation. Reading and editing this language required special TTCN editors. Beginning with version 3 TTCN was renamed to Testing and Test Control Notation. It is now closer to current programming languages and can be edited with traditional editors. TTCN-3 is more flexible than TTCN-2 in that it can be used for protocol testing as well as testing traditional software.

All versions of TTCN need dedicated compilers or interpreters for execution.

TTCN is widely used, for example; ETSI, ITU for the testing of telecommunication protocols. Conformance test cases of ETSI standards like ISDN, DECT, GSM, EDGE, 3G, DSRC have also been written in TTCN. Recently it has also been used for testing various protocol standards e.g. Bluetooth, IP.

TTCN-3

TTCN-3 (Testing and Test Control Notation version 3) is a strongly typed test scripting language used in conformance testing of communicating systems and a specification of test infrastructure interfaces that glue abstract test scripts with concrete communication environments. TTCN-3 has been developed by ETSI and its predecessor is TTCN-2. Despite sharing some fundamental concepts, TTCN-2 and TTCN-3 are essentially two different languages, the latter having simpler syntax and standardized adapter interfaces. TTCN-3 scripts can be combined with ASN.1, IDL and XML type definitions. ASN.1 is natively supported by major TTCN-3 tool vendors.

Applications

TTCN-3 has been used to deploy SIP, WiMAX, and DSRC test systems.

The Open Mobile Alliance adopted in 2008 a strategy of using TTCN-3 for translating some of the test cases in an enabler test specification into an executable representation.

The AUTOSAR project promoted (2008) the use of TTCN-3 within the automotive industry.

The 3GPP project promoted the use of TTCN-3 within the mobile industry.