Testing C++ Templates: Investigating Tests for C++ Templates using Adversarial Methods
summary
Explains a practical approach for testing C++ templates using Google Test plus a small custom instantiation layer, runtime equivalence classes for input sets, and an explicit adversarial testing pattern that injects known-bad implementations so tests must fail when they should. Shows that line coverage is a weak metric (coverage is insufficient), demos with Compiler Explorer reveal missing checks, and reports the pattern reduces missed cases in a Bosch template library once integrated.
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chapters (8)
- 0:00Introduction
- 11:24Testing C++ templates challenges
- 21:43Structured template testing
- 31:20Runtime variation and equivalence
- 42:31Coverage tools limitations
- 50:01Adversarial testing method
- 1:04:28Adversarial testing benefits
- 1:14:23Conclusion
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