WAVer: A Model Checking-based Tool to Verify Web Application Design

Abstract Web Applications are becoming more and more widespread and efficient, then an increase of their reliability is now strongly required. Hence methods to support design and automatically perform validation of a Web Application (WA) could be helpful. In this paper we present WAVer, a prototype tool for performing the verification of a WA design by means of Symbolic Model Checking techniques. The tool first performs the modeling of the WA and furthermore verify it by means of a model checker. Specifically, the mathematical model of the WA is represented by a Finite State Machine (FSM). Then, by using the CTL formal language, we formalize basic criteria to establish correctness of the application. The prototype system we have implemented embeds a component which automatically imports WA design from a UML tool; CTL specifications are added and translated as source code for NuSMV model checker. Finally, the checker performs verification: if there is a violation of specifications, NuSMV allows to locate errors in WA design and appropriate adjustments are carried out.