Adapting Linux Kernel Test Files to the Kernel Test Framework

Abstract

Frequent testing of the Linux kernel is important to keep quality high. There are several tools and frameworks available for testing in user space. However, the support for unit testing in kernel space is lacking. Test files found in the kernel source tree invent incompatible features for error reporting, assertions and test output instead of using a common framework. The Kernel Test Framework (KTF) attempts to tackle this problem. In this thesis the framework was explored and evaluated. Four test files from the kernel source tree were examined and converted to the framework. The conversion process was approached in two ways: two test files were converted by a Python script developed for this purpose, and two other test files were manually edited. Comparisons with other frameworks were also made and discussed. The results showed that the framework can be used for all the four test files. Three test files worked well with the framework, but the fourth received less benefit from the framework due to its structure. Results also showed that a fully scripted conversion is possible using the Python script, but not for every test file. Weaknesses in the framework were identified and reported.