autopkgtest - automated package testing

[Ian Jackson]

Scott James Remnant writes ("Re: autopkgtest - automated package testing"):
> On Mon, 2007-03-05 at 12:16 +0000, Ian Jackson wrote:
> > `make check' runs the just-built software in the build tree.  You need
> > to override it somehow to make it run the installed version of the
> > program.
> 
> But that would involve installing the test suite, no?

No, you run the _test suite_ out of the build tree, but the _software
under test_ from the installed system.  But see below.

> Upstart is the immediate example.  "make check" builds and runs the
> binaries listed in TESTS, the source of which are found under test/*

Those look like unit tests to me.  They test internal interfaces of
upstart.  I think they are best run as part of the build.

autopkgtest is for whole-package testing and integration testing, not
(sub)-unit testing.  That is to say, it is for testing the external
published interfaces to your software.

Ian.