title: Software Testing: checking Object Data in RAM is the same after Software changes
body: <p>I'm in the process of writing tests for a software. The aim of the tests is that when changes are made to the software source no side effects occur.</p>
  
  <p>The software reads data from files and stores them in RAM. </p>
  
  <p>I've written a JUnit test that stores Object Field Values (primitive Types and <code>String</code>s) into a <code>Vector</code>. These Field Values come from a clearly defined, representative data set in the testing environment. I then deserialize the Vector from my last test run and compare it to current Vector. I then assert:</p>
  
  <pre><code>assertArrayEquals(expectedVector.toArray(),actualVector.toArray());
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>like this, I quickly see if data is being stored differently in RAM. </p>
  
  <p>Is this a useful test? 
  Is there a more simple approach to test that the Object Data is being loaded the same way?
  Is this common practice or are these kinds of tests done in a different manner?</p>