Question 1

How to set up libtap with CMake instead of make?

Accepted Answer

libtap primarily supports make-based installation, but you can manually include the tap.h header and source files in your CMake project. Refer to the INSTALL file for guidance on integrating with non-Unix build systems, though detailed CMake examples may be lacking.

Question 2

libtap vs Check or CUnit: which is better for C testing?

Accepted Answer

libtap excels in TAP compliance and simplicity, making it ideal for CI/CD integration with standardized output, while Check and CUnit offer more features like test suites and fixtures but with heavier overhead. Choose libtap if you prioritize lightweight, parseable test results over advanced framework capabilities.

Question 3

Can libtap handle test fixtures or setup/teardown functions?

Accepted Answer

No, libtap does not provide built-in fixture management; you need to implement setup and teardown manually in your test functions using standard C code before and after assertions, which can increase boilerplate for complex test suites.

Question 4

What are the limitations of libtap on Windows?

Accepted Answer

On Windows, functions like like() for regex matching and dies_ok() for crash testing are skipped, as noted in the README, so you might need to avoid or work around these features, potentially using alternative testing methods for those scenarios.

Question 5

How to parse TAP output from libtap in Jenkins or GitLab CI?

Accepted Answer

Use Jenkins' TAP plugin or GitLab CI's built-in TAP parsing support to process the stdout output from libtap tests. The standard TAP format ensures compatibility, allowing easy integration into automated pipelines for test reporting.

Question 6

Is libtap suitable for embedded systems testing?

Accepted Answer

Yes, libtap is lightweight and minimal, making it a good fit for embedded testing where memory and processing power are constrained, as it avoids the bloat of larger frameworks while still providing essential assertion macros and TAP output.

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