add_test — CMake 4.2.6 Documentation

# add_test

Add a test to the project to be run by `ctest(1)`.

    add_test(NAME <name> COMMAND <command> [<arg>...]
             [CONFIGURATIONS <config>...]
             [WORKING_DIRECTORY <dir>]
             [COMMAND_EXPAND_LISTS])

Adds a test called `<name>`. The test name may contain arbitrary characters, expressed as a Quoted Argument or Bracket Argument if necessary. See policy `CMP0110`.

CMake only generates tests if the `enable_testing()` command has been invoked. The `CTest` module invokes `enable_testing` automatically unless `BUILD_TESTING` is set to `OFF`.

Tests added with the `add_test(NAME)` signature support using `generator expressions` in test properties set by `set_property(TEST)` or `set_tests_properties()`. Test properties may only be set in the directory the test is created in.

`add_test` options are:

`COMMAND`

  Specify the test command-line.

  If `<command>` specifies an executable target created by `add_executable()`:

  - It will automatically be replaced by the location of the executable created at build time.

  - Added in version 3.3: The target's `CROSSCOMPILING_EMULATOR`, if set, will be used to run the command on the host:

        <emulator> <command>

    Changed in version 3.29: The emulator is used only when `cross-compiling`. See policy `CMP0158`.

  - Added in version 3.29: The target's `TEST_LAUNCHER`, if set, will be used to launch the command:

        <launcher> <command>

    If the `CROSSCOMPILING_EMULATOR` is also set, both are used:

        <launcher> <emulator> <command>

  The command may be specified using `generator expressions`.

`CONFIGURATIONS`

  Restrict execution of the test only to the named configurations.

`WORKING_DIRECTORY`

  Set the test property `WORKING_DIRECTORY` in which to execute the test. If not specified, the test will be run in `CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR`. The working directory may be specified using `generator expressions`.

`COMMAND_EXPAND_LISTS`

  Added in version 3.16.

  Lists in `COMMAND` arguments will be expanded, including those created with `generator expressions`.

If the test command exits with code `0` the test passes. Non-zero exit code is a "failed" test. The test property `WILL_FAIL` inverts this logic. Note that system-level test failures such as segmentation faults or heap errors will still fail the test even if `WILL_FAIL` is true. Output written to stdout or stderr is captured by `ctest(1)` and only affects the pass/fail status via the `PASS_REGULAR_EXPRESSION`, `FAIL_REGULAR_EXPRESSION`, or `SKIP_REGULAR_EXPRESSION` test properties.

Added in version 3.16: Added `SKIP_REGULAR_EXPRESSION` property.

Example usage:

    add_test(NAME mytest
             COMMAND testDriver --config $<CONFIG>
                                --exe $<TARGET_FILE:myexe>)

This creates a test `mytest` whose command runs a `testDriver` tool passing the configuration name and the full path to the executable file produced by target `myexe`.

The command syntax above is recommended over the older, less flexible form:

    add_test(<name> <command> [<arg>...])

Add a test called `<name>` with the given command-line.

Unlike the above `NAME` signature, target names are not supported in the command-line. Furthermore, tests added with this signature do not support `generator expressions` in the command-line or test properties, and the `TEST_LAUNCHER` and `CROSSCOMPILING_EMULATOR` target properties are not supported.