| .. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0+ |
| .. Copyright 2021 Google LLC |
| .. sectionauthor:: Simon Glass <sjg@chromium.org> |
| |
| Writing Tests |
| ============= |
| |
| This describes how to write tests in U-Boot and describes the possible options. |
| |
| Test types |
| ---------- |
| |
| There are two basic types of test in U-Boot: |
| |
| - Python tests, in test/py/tests |
| - C tests, in test/ and its subdirectories |
| |
| (there are also UEFI tests in lib/efi_selftest/ not considered here.) |
| |
| Python tests talk to U-Boot via the command line. They support both sandbox and |
| real hardware. They typically do not require building test code into U-Boot |
| itself. They are fairly slow to run, due to the command-line interface and there |
| being two separate processes. Python tests are fairly easy to write. They can |
| be a little tricky to debug sometimes due to the voluminous output of pytest. |
| |
| C tests are written directly in U-Boot. While they can be used on boards, they |
| are more commonly used with sandbox, as they obviously add to U-Boot code size. |
| C tests are easy to write so long as the required facilities exist. Where they |
| do not it can involve refactoring or adding new features to sandbox. They are |
| fast to run and easy to debug. |
| |
| Regardless of which test type is used, all tests are collected and run by the |
| pytest framework, so there is typically no need to run them separately. This |
| means that C tests can be used when it makes sense, and Python tests when it |
| doesn't. |
| |
| |
| This table shows how to decide whether to write a C or Python test: |
| |
| ===================== =========================== ============================= |
| Attribute C test Python test |
| ===================== =========================== ============================= |
| Fast to run? Yes No (two separate processes) |
| Easy to write? Yes, if required test Yes |
| features exist in sandbox |
| or the target system |
| Needs code in U-Boot? Yes No, provided the test can be |
| executed and the result |
| determined using the command |
| line |
| Easy to debug? Yes No, since access to the U-Boot |
| state is not available and the |
| amount of output can |
| sometimes require a bit of |
| digging |
| Can use gdb? Yes, directly Yes, with --gdbserver |
| Can run on boards? Some can, but only if Some |
| compiled in and not |
| dependent on sandboxau |
| ===================== =========================== ============================= |
| |
| |
| Python or C |
| ----------- |
| |
| Typically in U-Boot we encourage C test using sandbox for all features. This |
| allows fast testing, easy development and allows contributors to make changes |
| without needing dozens of boards to test with. |
| |
| When a test requires setup or interaction with the running host (such as to |
| generate images and then running U-Boot to check that they can be loaded), or |
| cannot be run on sandbox, Python tests should be used. These should typically |
| NOT rely on running with sandbox, but instead should function correctly on any |
| board supported by U-Boot. |
| |
| |
| Mixing Python and C |
| ------------------- |
| |
| The best of both worlds is sometimes to have a Python test set things up and |
| perform some operations, with a 'checker' C unit test doing the checks |
| afterwards. This can be achieved with these steps: |
| |
| - Add the `UTF_MANUAL` flag to the checker test so that the `ut` command |
| does not run it by default |
| - Add a `_norun` suffix to the name so that pytest knows to skip it too |
| |
| In your Python test use the `-f` flag to the `ut` command to force the checker |
| test to run it, e.g.:: |
| |
| # Do the Python part |
| host load ... |
| bootm ... |
| |
| # Run the checker to make sure that everything worked |
| ut -f bootstd vbe_test_fixup_norun |
| |
| Note that apart from the `UTF_MANUAL` flag, the code in a 'manual' C test |
| is just like any other C test. It still uses ut_assert...() and other such |
| constructs, in this case to check that the expected things happened in the |
| Python test. |
| |
| |
| How slow are Python tests? |
| -------------------------- |
| |
| Under the hood, when running on sandbox, Python tests work by starting a sandbox |
| test and connecting to it via a pipe. Each interaction with the U-Boot process |
| requires at least a context switch to handle the pipe interaction. The test |
| sends a command to U-Boot, which then reacts and shows some output, then the |
| test sees that and continues. Of course on real hardware, communications delays |
| (e.g. with a serial console) make this slower. |
| |
| For comparison, consider a test that checks the 'md' (memory dump). All times |
| below are approximate, as measured on an AMD 2950X system. Here is is the test |
| in Python:: |
| |
| @pytest.mark.buildconfigspec('cmd_memory') |
| def test_md(u_boot_console): |
| """Test that md reads memory as expected, and that memory can be modified |
| using the mw command.""" |
| |
| ram_base = u_boot_utils.find_ram_base(u_boot_console) |
| addr = '%08x' % ram_base |
| val = 'a5f09876' |
| expected_response = addr + ': ' + val |
| u_boot_console.run_command('mw ' + addr + ' 0 10') |
| response = u_boot_console.run_command('md ' + addr + ' 10') |
| assert(not (expected_response in response)) |
| u_boot_console.run_command('mw ' + addr + ' ' + val) |
| response = u_boot_console.run_command('md ' + addr + ' 10') |
| assert(expected_response in response) |
| |
| This runs a few commands and checks the output. Note that it runs a command, |
| waits for the response and then checks it agains what is expected. If run by |
| itself it takes around 800ms, including test collection. For 1000 runs it takes |
| 19 seconds, or 19ms per run. Of course 1000 runs it not that useful since we |
| only want to run it once. |
| |
| There is no exactly equivalent C test, but here is a similar one that tests 'ms' |
| (memory search):: |
| |
| /* Test 'ms' command with bytes */ |
| static int mem_test_ms_b(struct unit_test_state *uts) |
| { |
| u8 *buf; |
| |
| buf = map_sysmem(0, BUF_SIZE + 1); |
| memset(buf, '\0', BUF_SIZE); |
| buf[0x0] = 0x12; |
| buf[0x31] = 0x12; |
| buf[0xff] = 0x12; |
| buf[0x100] = 0x12; |
| run_command("ms.b 1 ff 12", 0); |
| ut_assert_nextline("00000030: 00 12 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................"); |
| ut_assert_nextline("--"); |
| ut_assert_nextline("000000f0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 12 ................"); |
| ut_assert_nextline("2 matches"); |
| ut_assert_console_end(); |
| |
| ut_asserteq(2, env_get_hex("memmatches", 0)); |
| ut_asserteq(0xff, env_get_hex("memaddr", 0)); |
| ut_asserteq(0xfe, env_get_hex("mempos", 0)); |
| |
| unmap_sysmem(buf); |
| |
| return 0; |
| } |
| MEM_TEST(mem_test_ms_b, UTF_CONSOLE); |
| |
| This runs the command directly in U-Boot, then checks the console output, also |
| directly in U-Boot. If run by itself this takes 100ms. For 1000 runs it takes |
| 660ms, or 0.66ms per run. |
| |
| So overall running a C test is perhaps 8 times faster individually and the |
| interactions are perhaps 25 times faster. |
| |
| It should also be noted that the C test is fairly easy to debug. You can set a |
| breakpoint on do_mem_search(), which is what implements the 'ms' command, |
| single step to see what might be wrong, etc. That is also possible with the |
| pytest, but requires two terminals and --gdbserver. |
| |
| |
| Why does speed matter? |
| ---------------------- |
| |
| Many development activities rely on running tests: |
| |
| - 'git bisect run make qcheck' can be used to find a failing commit |
| - test-driven development relies on quick iteration of build/test |
| - U-Boot's continuous integration (CI) systems make use of tests. Running |
| all sandbox tests typically takes 90 seconds and running each qemu test |
| takes about 30 seconds. This is currently dwarfed by the time taken to |
| build all boards |
| |
| As U-Boot continues to grow its feature set, fast and reliable tests are a |
| critical factor factor in developer productivity and happiness. |
| |
| |
| Writing C tests |
| --------------- |
| |
| C tests are arranged into suites which are typically executed by the 'ut' |
| command. Each suite is in its own file. This section describes how to accomplish |
| some common test tasks. |
| |
| (there are also UEFI C tests in lib/efi_selftest/ not considered here.) |
| |
| Add a new driver model test |
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
| |
| Use this when adding a test for a new or existing uclass, adding new operations |
| or features to a uclass, adding new ofnode or dev_read_() functions, or anything |
| else related to driver model. |
| |
| Find a suitable place for your test, perhaps near other test functions in |
| existing code, or in a new file. Each uclass should have its own test file. |
| |
| Declare the test with:: |
| |
| /* Test that ... */ |
| static int dm_test_uclassname_what(struct unit_test_state *uts) |
| { |
| /* test code here */ |
| |
| return 0; |
| } |
| DM_TEST(dm_test_uclassname_what, UTF_SCAN_FDT); |
| |
| Note that the convention is to NOT add a blank line before the macro, so that |
| the function it relates to is more obvious. |
| |
| Replace 'uclassname' with the name of your uclass, if applicable. Replace 'what' |
| with what you are testing. |
| |
| The flags for DM_TEST() are defined in test/test.h and you typically want |
| UTF_SCAN_FDT so that the devicetree is scanned and all devices are bound |
| and ready for use. The DM_TEST macro adds UTF_DM automatically so that |
| the test runner knows it is a driver model test. |
| |
| Driver model tests are special in that the entire driver model state is |
| recreated anew for each test. This ensures that if a previous test deletes a |
| device, for example, it does not affect subsequent tests. Driver model tests |
| also run both with livetree and flattree, to ensure that both devicetree |
| implementations work as expected. |
| |
| Example commit: c48cb7ebfb4 ("sandbox: add ADC unit tests") [1] |
| |
| [1] https://gitlab.denx.de/u-boot/u-boot/-/commit/c48cb7ebfb4 |
| |
| |
| Add a C test to an existing suite |
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
| |
| Use this when you are adding to or modifying an existing feature outside driver |
| model. An example is bloblist. |
| |
| Add a new function in the same file as the rest of the suite and register it |
| with the suite. For example, to add a new mem_search test:: |
| |
| /* Test 'ms' command with 32-bit values */ |
| static int mem_test_ms_new_thing(struct unit_test_state *uts) |
| { |
| /* test code here*/ |
| |
| return 0; |
| } |
| MEM_TEST(mem_test_ms_new_thing, UTF_CONSOLE); |
| |
| Note that the MEM_TEST() macros is defined at the top of the file. |
| |
| Example commit: 9fe064646d2 ("bloblist: Support relocating to a larger space") [1] |
| |
| [1] https://gitlab.denx.de/u-boot/u-boot/-/commit/9fe064646d2 |
| |
| |
| Add a new test suite |
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
| |
| Each suite should focus on one feature or subsystem, so if you are writing a |
| new one of those, you should add a new suite. |
| |
| Create a new file in test/ or a subdirectory and define a macro to register the |
| suite. For example:: |
| |
| #include <console.h> |
| #include <mapmem.h> |
| #include <dm/test.h> |
| #include <test/ut.h> |
| |
| /* Declare a new wibble test */ |
| #define WIBBLE_TEST(_name, _flags) UNIT_TEST(_name, _flags, wibble_test) |
| |
| /* Tetss go here */ |
| |
| /* At the bottom of the file: */ |
| |
| int do_ut_wibble(struct cmd_tbl *cmdtp, int flag, int argc, char *const argv[]) |
| { |
| struct unit_test *tests = UNIT_TEST_SUITE_START(wibble_test); |
| const int n_ents = UNIT_TEST_SUITE_COUNT(wibble_test); |
| |
| return cmd_ut_category("cmd_wibble", "wibble_test_", tests, n_ents, argc, argv); |
| } |
| |
| Then add new tests to it as above. |
| |
| Register this new suite in test/cmd_ut.c by adding to cmd_ut_sub[]:: |
| |
| /* Within cmd_ut_sub[]... */ |
| |
| U_BOOT_CMD_MKENT(wibble, CONFIG_SYS_MAXARGS, 1, do_ut_wibble, "", ""), |
| |
| and adding new help to ut_help_text[]:: |
| |
| "ut wibble - Test the wibble feature\n" |
| |
| If your feature is conditional on a particular Kconfig, then you can use #ifdef |
| to control that. |
| |
| Finally, add the test to the build by adding to the Makefile in the same |
| directory:: |
| |
| obj-$(CONFIG_$(XPL_)CMDLINE) += wibble.o |
| |
| Note that CMDLINE is never enabled in SPL, so this test will only be present in |
| U-Boot proper. See below for how to do SPL tests. |
| |
| As before, you can add an extra Kconfig check if needed:: |
| |
| ifneq ($(CONFIG_$(XPL_)WIBBLE),) |
| obj-$(CONFIG_$(XPL_)CMDLINE) += wibble.o |
| endif |
| |
| |
| Example commit: 919e7a8fb64 ("test: Add a simple test for bloblist") [1] |
| |
| [1] https://gitlab.denx.de/u-boot/u-boot/-/commit/919e7a8fb64 |
| |
| |
| Making the test run from pytest |
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
| |
| All C tests must run from pytest. Typically this is automatic, since pytest |
| scans the U-Boot executable for available tests to run. So long as you have a |
| 'ut' subcommand for your test suite, it will run. The same applies for driver |
| model tests since they use the 'ut dm' subcommand. |
| |
| See test/py/tests/test_ut.py for how unit tests are run. |
| |
| |
| Add a C test for SPL |
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
| |
| Note: C tests are only available for sandbox_spl at present. There is currently |
| no mechanism in other boards to existing SPL tests even if they are built into |
| the image. |
| |
| SPL tests cannot be run from the 'ut' command since there are no commands |
| available in SPL. Instead, sandbox (only) calls ut_run_list() on start-up, when |
| the -u flag is given. This runs the available unit tests, no matter what suite |
| they are in. |
| |
| To create a new SPL test, follow the same rules as above, either adding to an |
| existing suite or creating a new one. |
| |
| An example SPL test is spl_test_load(). |
| |
| |
| Writing Python tests |
| -------------------- |
| |
| See :doc:`py_testing` for brief notes how to write Python tests. You |
| should be able to use the existing tests in test/py/tests as examples. |