Test Driven Development for Embedded C

Testing with Hardware

Where practical, tests with hardware should be automated. Let’s look at three kinds of tests we can create that interact with the hardware:

• Automated hardware tests

• Partially automated hardware tests

• Automated hardware tests with external instrumentation

Automated Hardware Tests

Your embedded hardware will probably have areas that are well-suited for automated testing. Other areas of the hardware will probably need special instruments to test hardware functionality. Where possible, you should write tests that help you learn what the hardware does and give you confidence that the hardware is working. As the inevitable hardware changes happen, your tests can help you see when a new hardware design has problems. ...