What is the goal of loop coverage testing?

Loop coverage testing focuses specifically on ensuring that the loops within a program are executed thoroughly during testing. The goal is to validate that all possible iterations of loops are accessed at least once. This includes executing the loop zero times, once, and multiple times, covering all scenarios to verify that the loop behaves as expected under various conditions.

For instance, if a loop is designed to run based on certain conditions or limits, it’s essential to test all possible paths—how the program behaves if the loop never runs, if it runs only a single iteration, and how it performs with multiple iterations. This thorough testing helps reveal potential errors, inefficiencies, or unintended behavior that might not surface without examining each iteration.

Having comprehensive loop coverage is important for ensuring the reliability and correctness of applications, particularly in scenarios where the loops may contain critical logic that impacts application performance or correctness.