Unit Testing on Host and Target for C and C++ Applications

Unit testing is easier and more productive when used together with stubbing and mocking test frameworks. Parasoft C/C++test provides a powerful module for automatically creating stubs and mocks. This module can assist with fault injection testing, help reduce dependencies of the tested C/C++ code, or simply stub out not-yet-implemented source code. Stub and mock logic is efficiently implemented using dedicated graphical editors or by typing code.

The C/C++test stubbing framework does not require any special code design to apply stubs (such as virtual functions) and is supported for all compilers, including cross-compilers.

Comprehensive code coverage reports automatically provide information about the thoroughness of the unit testing process (and are required to achieve compliance with functional-safety standards). Parasoft C/C++test supports all important types of code coverage, including statement, branch, and MC/DC coverage types.

Dedicated coverage views are closely integrated with the source code editor and test case explorer, allowing developers to quickly understand coverage gaps and focus their effort based on areas of risk. Merging coverage results from different test sessions (including from system-level testing) enables teams to focus their tests on untested code and tests impacted by recent code changes. The result is reduced time spent on testing.

Parasoft C/C++test makes unit testing easier by simplifying the process of test case creation. With its easy-to-understand GUI, Parasoft C/C++test reduces technical barriers, allowing testers or QA staff, who don’t necessarily have deep development skills, to create unit tests.

Users can easily build advanced test scenarios by defining a collection of steps responsible for various elements of test scenario implementation, such as parameter initialization, stubs configuration, or assertion validation. Users with large test vectors recorded during a model simulation phase or during real-world experiments can easily connect those data sources to parameterize test cases, which fetch test inputs and outputs directly from CSV files or XLS spreadsheets.

Developers who prefer to create test cases and stubs by writing the source code instead of using a graphical interface can use C/C++test’s powerful APIs to define test cases logic and behavior of isolated components.

You can use Parasoft C/C++test to execute unit tests on the host platform, target processor simulator, or on the embedded target. Optimized to take minimal additional overhead for the binary footprint or process cycles, Parasoft C/C++test’s test harness is provided in the form of source code, and can be customized if platform-specific modifications are required.

Dedicated integrations with embedded IDEs and debuggers make the process of executing unit test cases smooth and automated. Supported environments include Green Hills Multi, Wind River Workbench, IAR EW, ARM MDK, ARM DS-5, TI CCS, and many others.

Parasoft C/C++test’s unit test framework was designed with safety-critical software tests in mind. Stubs and test cases with values for tested software simulation can be edited with graphical editors, but are generated as source code. Users can store and review created test artifacts together with the project’s files. The initialization of the variables and input parameters for tested software simulation is done exactly the same way as during production software operation. As such, the unit test framework can be easily qualified for achieving compliance with safety standards such as ISO 26262, DO-178B/C, IEC 61508, or EN 50128. Parasoft C/C++test is certified by TÜV SÜD for these standards.