ctdd/AGENTS.md

AGENTS.md

Project Overview

ctdd is a C23 project wired for test-driven development using Unity and CMock.

Build System

• Generator: Ninja
• CMake minimum: 3.21
• C standard: C23

Commands

Configure (default):

cmake -S . -B build -G Ninja

Configure with coverage:

cmake -S . -B build-cov -G Ninja -DENABLE_COVERAGE=ON

Build:

ninja -C build

Run tests (full Unity output, colored):

ninja -C build check

Run tests (CTest summary only):

ninja -C build test

Run tests and generate coverage HTML:

ninja -C build-cov coverage

Run (Linux/macOS):

./build/main

Run (Windows):

./build/main.exe

Dependencies

Dependencies are managed via custom Find*.cmake scripts in deps/. These scripts use FetchContent under the hood to download and build libraries automatically.

To add a new dependency:

1. Add the corresponding Find<name>.cmake to deps/
2. Add find_package(<name> REQUIRED) to CMakeLists.txt
3. Link with <name>::<name> in target_link_libraries()

CMake Module Path

deps/ is added to CMAKE_MODULE_PATH so find_package() resolves to the custom scripts instead of system-installed packages.

Coding Conventions

• Language: C23
• Trailing return type for function signatures (e.g. auto fn() -> void)
• 4-space indentation
• No semicolons after closing braces for namespaces/classes
• auto for obvious types (e.g. auto main(...) -> int)
• East const (e.g. char const* not const char*)
• Trailing return type for all function definitions, including operators (e.g. auto operator=(T&&) noexcept -> T&)
• Public members first in class declarations, private members at the bottom
• <> includes only for system headers (std, OS, etc.)
• "" includes for third-party dependencies (e.g. fmt, nlohmann/json)
• Naming: snake_case for variables, functions, and classes
• Naming: SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE only for macros and constants
• Include order:
  1. C++ standard library headers (<chrono>, <vector>, etc.)
  2. (blank line)
  3. C standard library headers (<stdlib.h>, <string.h>, etc.)
  4. (blank line)
  5. OS-specific headers (Windows API, POSIX, etc.)
  6. (blank line)
  7. Third-party dependencies ("fmt/core.h", etc.)
  8. (blank line)
  9. Local/project headers

Shell Scripts

• Always use #!/bin/sh shebang for shell scripts
• Scripts must be POSIX compliant (no bashisms)
• When providing commands to users:
  • Windows/PowerShell: use ` for line continuation
  • Unix/Linux/macOS: use \ for line continuation

Commit Messages

• Follow the 50/72 rule:
  • Subject line: max 50 characters
  • Body lines: wrapped at 72 characters
• Use conventional commit prefixes (feat:, fix:, docs:, chore:, etc.)
• Separate subject from body with a blank line
• Do not add yourself as a co-author (Co-Authored-By: trailers are forbidden)

Example:

feat: add stopwatch timer

Replace Hello World with a live stopwatch that prints elapsed time
in HH:MM:SS.mmm format, updating every 10ms with color output.

Documentation (Markdown)

• Wrap normal text and lists at max 80 columns (for readability in terminals and editors).

• Exceptions: Tables and code blocks (```) can exceed 80 columns when formatting requires it (e.g. trees, alignment).

• Use standard Markdown: **bold**, `inline code`, ## headings, - or numbered lists, fenced code blocks with language hints (```cpp, ```sh).

• Keep examples concise, up-to-date, and self-documenting.

• Do not use em dashes (—). Use a colon or rewrite the sentence.

• Each shell command gets its own fenced code block; do not combine multiple commands into one block. Precede each block with a short plain-text label describing what the command does:

  Setup build:

  cmake -S . -B build -G Ninja
  

• This file (AGENTS.md) follows its own rules.

Source Layout

ctdd/
  str.h / str.c        Pure string utilities (no dependencies)
  report.h / report.c  Formats a value and calls log_message()
  logger.h / logger.c  Real log_message via printf to stdout
main.c                 Entry point
tests/
  test_str.c           Unity state-based tests for ctdd/str
  test_report.c        Interaction-based tests using CMock
deps/
  FindUnity.cmake      Fetches Unity v2.6.1 via ZIP
  FindCMock.cmake      Fetches CMock v2.6.0 via ZIP

TDD Workflow

This project follows Red-Green-Refactor. All changes to testable source files under ctdd/ should be test-driven: write a failing test first, then implement.

Adding a new module

1. Create ctdd/<module>.h with the public prototype.
2. Create tests/test_<module>.c. Set CMock expectations for any dependency calls, then assert the result.
3. Register the test in tests/CMakeLists.txt:

add_executable(test_module test_module.c)
target_include_directories(test_module PRIVATE "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}")
target_link_libraries(test_module PRIVATE ctdd_module Unity::Unity CMock::CMock)
target_compile_features(test_module PRIVATE c_std_23)
cmock_generate_mock(test_module "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/ctdd/dep.h")
add_test(NAME test_module COMMAND test_module)
list(APPEND TEST_TARGETS test_module)

4. Stub ctdd/<module>.c with a dummy return, confirm RED, implement, confirm GREEN:

ninja -C build check

Mocking a dependency

Use cmock_generate_mock in the test target to generate a mock from a header. Include Mock<name>.h in the test and use the generated API:

#include "Mockdep.h"

void setUp(void)    { Mockdep_Init(); }
void tearDown(void) { Mockdep_Verify(); Mockdep_Destroy(); }

void test_something(void) {
    dep_fn_ExpectAndReturn(arg, expected);
    TEST_ASSERT_TRUE(module_do_thing());
}

Behavioral Guidelines

Reduce common LLM coding mistakes. Bias toward caution over speed. For trivial tasks, use judgment.

Think Before Coding

• State assumptions explicitly. If uncertain, ask.
• If multiple interpretations exist, present them, don't pick silently.
• If something is unclear, stop. Name what's confusing. Ask.

Simplicity First

Minimum code that solves the problem. Nothing speculative.

• No features beyond what was asked.
• No abstractions for single-use code.
• If you write 200 lines and it could be 50, rewrite it.

Surgical Changes

Touch only what you must. Clean up only your own mess.

• Don't "improve" adjacent code, comments, or formatting.
• Don't refactor things that aren't broken.
• Match existing style, even if you'd do it differently.
• Remove imports/variables/functions that YOUR changes made unused.
• Don't remove pre-existing dead code unless asked.

Goal-Driven Execution

Transform tasks into verifiable goals:

• "Add validation" means: write tests for invalid inputs, then pass.
• "Fix the bug" means: write a test that reproduces it, then pass.
• "Refactor X" means: ensure tests pass before and after.

Platform Support

The project supports Windows, Linux, macOS, Emscripten, and Android via Platform.cmake and Flags.cmake in deps/.