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[PATCH v10 0/3] Add unit test framework and project plan

From
Josh Steadmon <steadmon@google.com>
Date
Nov 9, 2023, 18:50 UTC
Message-ID
<cover.1699555664.git.steadmon@google.com>
In-Reply-To
<0169ce6fb9ccafc089b74ae406db0d1a8ff8ac65.1688165272.git.steadmon@google.com>

In our current testing environment, we spend a significant amount of effort crafting end-to-end tests for error conditions that could easily be captured by unit tests (or we simply forgo some hard-to-setup and rare error conditions). Unit tests additionally provide stability to the codebase and can simplify debugging through isolation. Turning parts of Git into libraries[1] gives us the ability to run unit tests on the libraries and to write unit tests in C. Writing unit tests in pure C, rather than with our current shell/test-tool helper setup, simplifies test setup, simplifies passing data around (no shell-isms required), and reduces testing runtime by not spawning a separate process for every test invocation.

This series begins with a project document covering our goals for adding unit tests and a discussion of alternative frameworks considered, as well as the features used to evaluate them. A rendered preview of this doc can be found at [2]. It also adds Phillip Wood's TAP implemenation (with some slightly re-worked Makefile rules) and a sample strbuf unit test. Finally, we modify the configs for GitHub and Cirrus CI to run the unit tests. Sample runs showing successful CI runs can be found at [3], [4], and [5].

[1] https://lore.kernel.org/git/CAJoAoZ=Cig_kLocxKGax31sU7Xe4==BGzC__Bg2_pr7krNq6MA@mail.gmail.com/
[2] https://github.com/steadmon/git/blob/unit-tests-asciidoc/Documentation/technical/unit-tests.adoc
[3] https://github.com/steadmon/git/actions/runs/5884659246/job/15959781385#step:4:1803
[4] https://github.com/steadmon/git/actions/runs/5884659246/job/15959938401#step:5:186
[5] https://cirrus-ci.com/task/6126304366428160 (unrelated tests failed,
    but note that t-strbuf ran successfully)
Changes in v10:
- Included a promised style cleanup in test-lib.c that was accidentally
  dropped in v9.
Changes in v9:
- Included some asciidoc cleanups suggested by Oswald Buddenhagen.
- Applied a style fixup that Coccinelle complained about.
- Applied some NULL-safety fixups.
- Used check_*() more widely in t-strbuf helper functions
Changes in v8:
- Flipped return values for TEST, TEST_TODO, and check_* macros &
  functions. This makes it easier to reason about control flow for
  patterns like:
    if (check(some_condition)) { ... }
- Moved unit test binaries to t/unit-tests/bin to simplify .gitignore
  patterns.
- Removed testing of some strbuf implementation details in t-strbuf.c
Changes in v7:
- Fix corrupt diff in patch #2, sorry for the noise.
Changes in v6:
- Officially recommend using Phillip Wood's TAP framework
- Add an example strbuf unit test using the TAP framework as well as
  Makefile integration
- Run unit tests in CI
Changes in v5:
- Add comparison point "License".
- Discuss feature priorities
- Drop frameworks:
  - Incompatible licenses: libtap, cmocka
  - Missing source: MyTAP
  - No TAP support: µnit, cmockery, cmockery2, Unity, minunit, CUnit
- Drop comparison point "Coverage reports": this can generally be
  handled by tools such as `gcov` regardless of the framework used.
- Drop comparison point "Inline tests": there didn't seem to be
  strong interest from reviewers for this feature.
- Drop comparison point "Scheduling / re-running": this was not
  supported by any of the main contenders, and is generally better
  handled by the harness rather than framework.
- Drop comparison point "Lazy test planning": this was supported by
  all frameworks that provide TAP output.
Changes in v4:
- Add link anchors for the framework comparison dimensions
- Explain "Partial" results for each dimension
- Use consistent dimension names in the section headers and comparison
  tables
- Add "Project KLOC", "Adoption", and "Inline tests" dimensions
- Fill in a few of the missing entries in the comparison table
Changes in v3:
- Expand the doc with discussion of desired features and a WIP
  comparison.
- Drop all implementation patches until a framework is selected.
- Link to v2: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20230517-unit-tests-v2-v2-0-21b5b60f4b32@google.com
Josh Steadmon (2):
  unit tests: Add a project plan document
  ci: run unit tests in CI
Phillip Wood (1):
  unit tests: add TAP unit test framework
 .cirrus.yml                            |   2 +-
 Documentation/Makefile                 |   1 +
 Documentation/technical/unit-tests.txt | 240 ++++++++++++++++++
 Makefile                               |  28 ++-
 ci/run-build-and-tests.sh              |   2 +
 ci/run-test-slice.sh                   |   5 +
 t/Makefile                             |  15 +-
 t/t0080-unit-test-output.sh            |  58 +++++
 t/unit-tests/.gitignore                |   1 +
 t/unit-tests/t-basic.c                 |  95 +++++++
 t/unit-tests/t-strbuf.c                | 120 +++++++++
 t/unit-tests/test-lib.c                | 330 +++++++++++++++++++++++++
 t/unit-tests/test-lib.h                | 149 +++++++++++
 13 files changed, 1041 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 Documentation/technical/unit-tests.txt
 create mode 100755 t/t0080-unit-test-output.sh
 create mode 100644 t/unit-tests/.gitignore
 create mode 100644 t/unit-tests/t-basic.c
 create mode 100644 t/unit-tests/t-strbuf.c
 create mode 100644 t/unit-tests/test-lib.c
 create mode 100644 t/unit-tests/test-lib.h
Range-diff against v9:
-:  ---------- > 1:  f706ba9b68 unit tests: Add a project plan document
1:  8b831f4937 ! 2:  7a5e21bcff unit tests: add TAP unit test framework
    @@ t/unit-tests/test-lib.c (new)
     +	if (ctx.result == RESULT_SKIP) {
     +		test_msg("skipping check '%s' at %s", check, location);
     +		return 1;
    -+	} else if (!ctx.todo) {
    ++	}
    ++	if (!ctx.todo) {
     +		if (ok) {
     +			test_pass();
     +		} else {
2:  08d27bb5f9 = 3:  0129ec062c ci: run unit tests in CI
base-commit: a9e066fa63149291a55f383cfa113d8bdbdaa6b3
-- 
2.42.0.869.gea05f2083d-goog
Previous: Josh SteadmonNext: Josh Steadmon
Message 63 of 67 in “unit tests: Add a project plan document”
  1. unit tests: Add a project plan documentJosh Steadmon, Jun 30, 2023
  2. Junio C HamanoJul 1, 2023
  3. Junio C HamanoJul 1, 2023
  4. unit tests: Add a project plan documentJosh Steadmon, Aug 7, 2023
  5. Phillip WoodAug 14, 2023
  6. Josh SteadmonAug 15, 2023
  7. Phillip WoodAug 17, 2023
  8. 0/3 Add unit test framework and project plan MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bitJosh Steadmon, Aug 16, 2023
  9. 3/3 ci: run unit tests in CIJosh Steadmon, Aug 16, 2023
  10. 1/3 unit tests: Add a project plan documentJosh Steadmon, Aug 16, 2023
  11. 2/3 unit tests: add TAP unit test frameworkJosh Steadmon, Aug 16, 2023
  12. Junio C HamanoAug 17, 2023
  13. Junio C HamanoAug 17, 2023
  14. Josh SteadmonAug 17, 2023
  15. 0/3 Add unit test framework and project planJosh Steadmon, Aug 17, 2023
  16. 3/3 ci: run unit tests in CIJosh Steadmon, Aug 17, 2023
  17. 1/3 unit tests: Add a project plan documentJosh Steadmon, Aug 17, 2023
  18. 2/3 unit tests: add TAP unit test frameworkJosh Steadmon, Aug 17, 2023
  19. Junio C HamanoAug 18, 2023
  20. Junio C HamanoSep 22, 2023
  21. phillip.wood123@gmail.comSep 24, 2023
  22. Junio C HamanoSep 25, 2023
  23. Josh SteadmonOct 6, 2023
  24. Josh SteadmonOct 9, 2023
  25. Junio C HamanoAug 17, 2023
  26. Josh SteadmonAug 24, 2023
  27. Junio C HamanoSep 13, 2023
  28. 0/3 Add unit test framework and project planJosh Steadmon, Oct 9, 2023
  29. 1/3 unit tests: Add a project plan documentJosh Steadmon, Oct 9, 2023
  30. Oswald BuddenhagenOct 10, 2023
  31. Josh SteadmonOct 11, 2023
  32. Oswald BuddenhagenOct 11, 2023
  33. Josh SteadmonNov 1, 2023
  34. Christian CouderOct 27, 2023
  35. Josh SteadmonNov 1, 2023
  36. Junio C HamanoNov 1, 2023
  37. 2/3 unit tests: add TAP unit test frameworkJosh Steadmon, Oct 9, 2023
  38. Junio C HamanoOct 11, 2023
  39. 5/3 fixup! unit tests: add TAP unit test frameworkPhillip Wood, Oct 16, 2023
  40. Junio C HamanoOct 16, 2023
  41. Josh SteadmonNov 1, 2023
  42. Junio C HamanoNov 1, 2023
  43. Josh SteadmonNov 1, 2023
  44. Junio C HamanoNov 1, 2023
  45. Christian CouderOct 27, 2023
  46. Josh SteadmonNov 1, 2023
  47. 3/3 ci: run unit tests in CIJosh Steadmon, Oct 9, 2023
  48. Junio C HamanoOct 9, 2023
  49. 0/3 CMake unit test fixupsPhillip Wood, Oct 19, 2023
  50. 1/3 fixup! cmake: also build unit testsPhillip Wood, Oct 19, 2023
  51. 2/3 fixup! artifacts-tar: when including `.dll` files, don't forget the unit-testsPhillip Wood, Oct 19, 2023
  52. 3/3 fixup! cmake: handle also unit testsPhillip Wood, Oct 19, 2023
  53. Junio C HamanoOct 19, 2023
  54. phillip.wood123@gmail.comOct 16, 2023
  55. Josh SteadmonNov 1, 2023
  56. Christian CouderOct 27, 2023
  57. 0/3 Add unit test framework and project planJosh Steadmon, Nov 1, 2023
  58. 1/3 unit tests: Add a project plan documentJosh Steadmon, Nov 1, 2023
  59. 3/3 ci: run unit tests in CIJosh Steadmon, Nov 1, 2023
  60. 2/3 unit tests: add TAP unit test frameworkJosh Steadmon, Nov 1, 2023
  61. Christian CouderNov 3, 2023
  62. Josh SteadmonNov 9, 2023
  63. 0/3 Add unit test framework and project planJosh Steadmon, Nov 9, 2023
  64. 1/3 unit tests: Add a project plan documentJosh Steadmon, Nov 9, 2023
  65. Junio C HamanoNov 9, 2023
  66. 2/3 unit tests: add TAP unit test frameworkJosh Steadmon, Nov 9, 2023
  67. 3/3 ci: run unit tests in CIJosh Steadmon, Nov 9, 2023

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