Quality Software Testing Tools for Large Scale Software Development

Here is a list of the most popular tools for C/C++ Unix executables. All commentary is strictly the opinion of the editor.

Memory Leak Checking Tools
Dynamic Leak Check by Dynamic Memory Solutions Stars: ***** Click here for a 14-day free trial	Finds memory leaks, boundary overflows and other heap based errors. Platforms: Solaris Sparc, Solaris x86, Linux Intel, Linux Opteron, Linux Itanium, HP-UX Runtime Models: 32 and 64 bit, multithreading Advantages: No recompile or relink required. High performance and usable on the largest of executables. Disadvantages: Error checking is not as well rounded as some other tools.

Insure++® by Parasoft Stars: ****	Finds memory leaks, boundary overflows, other heap based errors and stack errors. Insure++ is an excellent tool for source code based debugging. It will find more errors than any other tool on the market. Platforms: Widely ported Runtime Models: 32 and 64 bit, multithreading Advantages: Error checking is very complete. Disadvantages: Both source code and link time instrumentation are required, this is a major hassle for large source code bases. Performance is an issue for large executables.

Purify by IBM Rational Software Stars: ****	Purify finds memory leaks, boundary overflows, other heap based errors. The tool is the industry standard tool for leak checking. Platforms: Widely ported Runtime Models: 32 and 64 bit, multithreading on most platforms Advantages: Error checking is good. Disadvantages: Both link time and compile time instrumentation is required. The Instrumentation is a major hassle for large source code bases. Performance is an issue for large executables.

Valgrind by Valgrind Stars: ****	Valgrind finds memory leaks, boundary overflows, other heap based errors and some stack errors. The tools use a unique CPU simulator to find errors. From a computer science standpoint, it is really quite interesting. The tool is free so the price is right. Platforms: Linux only Runtime Models: 32 Advantages: Error checking is acceptable. No instrumentation is required. Disadvantages: Performance is an issue. Not always 100% accurate for leak checking. Linux is the only supported platform.

mpatrol Stars: ***	mpatrol finds memory leaks, boundary overflows and other heap based errors. The tool is free. Platforms: Widely ported Runtime Models: 32 and 64, multithreading Advantages: Error checking is pretty good. No instrumentation is required on some platforms. Disadvantages: Performance is a serious issue.

Code Coverage Tools
Dynamic Code Coverage By Dynamic Memory Solutions Stars: ***** Click here for a 14-day free trial	The best tool on the market today. It combines the depth of decision and branch coverage with the ease of no instrumentation. Platforms: Solaris and Linux Runtime Models: 32 and 64 bit, multithreading Advantages: No recompile or relink required. Function, line, decision and branch coverage. High performance and usable on the largest of executables. Disadvantages: More platforms need to be supported.

Bullseye Coverage by Bullseye Testing Technolgy Stars: ****	Bullseye is a very popular and useful product. The use of decision and condition coverage gives it a leg up on the competition. Platforms: Widely ported Runtime Models: 32 and 64 bit, multithreading Advantages: Function, line, decision and condition coverage. Disadvantages: Requires compile time instrumentation, for large executables this is a major obstacle.

Pure Coverage by IBM Rational Software Stars: ***	Rational Pure Coverage by IBM is the industry standard tool. However, it only supports function and line coverage. Platforms: Widely ported Runtime Models: 32 and 64 bit, multithreading on most platforms Advantages: Attractive GUI. Industry standard product Disadvantages: No decision, condition or branch coverage. Requires link time instrumentation, for large executables this is a major obstacle.

Insure++ TCA By Parasoft Stars: ***	TCA is an add on to Parasoft Insure++. It supports only function and basic block coverage. Platforms: Widely ported Runtime Models: 32 and 64 bit, multithreading Advantages: Attractive GUI. Well integrated with Insure++ Disadvantages: No decision, condition or branch coverage. Requires compile time instrumentation, for large executables this is a major obstacle.

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