A method for developing a test program for a semiconductor test system is disclosed. The method includes describing a test plan file in a test program language (TPL), where the test plan file describes at least one test of the test program, describing a test class file in a system program language (SPL) and a corresponding pre-header file of the test class file in the TPL, where the test class file describes an implementation of the at least one test of the test program, and generating the test program using the test plan file, the test class file, and the pre-header file.