A Black-box Testing Framework for Oracle Quantum Programs

Abstract: Oracle quantum programs are a fundamental class of quantum programs that serve as a critical bridge between quantum computing and classical computing. Many important quantum algorithms are built upon oracle quantum programs, making it essential to ensure their correctness during development. While software testing is a well-established approach for improving program reliability, no systematic method has been developed to test oracle quantum programs. This paper proposes a black-box testing framework designed for general oracle quantum programs. We define these programs formally, establish the foundational theory for their testing, and propose a detailed testing framework. We develop a prototype tool and conduct extensive experimental evaluations to evaluate the framework's effectiveness. Our results demonstrate that the proposed framework significantly aids developers in testing oracle quantum programs, providing insights to enhance the reliability of quantum software.