path: root/README.md

# mutator

A C code mutator,Misra-C 2004 checker and when possible, a Misra-C implementer.<br/>
**mutator-lvl0.cpp** contains the Misra-C rules to check.<br/>
**mutator.cpp** contains the mutators which are not copiled for the time being since im working on Misra-C only for the time being, along with some Misra-C implementers.<br/>
**mutator-lvl2.cpp** contains some other Misra-C implementers. Rewriting the code in multiple stages allows for more simplistic rewrites and is also a check to see whether the output is actually buildable.<br/>
**mutator.sh** is the UI, which is supposed to work like just any other nix UI(option-wise).<br/>
The **utility** folder holds the C source and headers that are necessary to run the instruented code(currently unused).<br/>
**mutator-aux.cpp.h** hold the auxillary functions that most modules will need.<br/>
Well there is the **makefile**.<br/>
The **test** folder holds the **TDD** tests.<br/>
#### **The Misra-C rule checking portion has not been extensively tested since it is still WIP but is buildable and usable.**<br/>

###Building mutator
To build the project, you need to have the LLVM libraries 4.0 to avoid any unforseen results. The project can not be built with LLVM 3.8 or lower, but I havent tested LLVM 3.9. Just run **make** and you're good to go. Running make will build three executables which can be used independently or with **mutator.sh**(use -h to see a list of options.)<br/>
The makefile uses **clang++ 4.0** as the compiler to build the project. On paper, any latest version of g++ should do the trick but this remains untested.<br/>
**mutator-lvl0** will run the Misra-C:2004 checks.<br/>
**mutator** will run the level-1 Misra-C:2004 implementers.<br/>
**mutator-lvl2** will run the level-2 Misra-C:2004 implementers.<br/>
Currently, the mutation-only features(mutation for the sake of mutation, technically implementing Misra-C is also a form of mutation) are turned off in **mutator** and **mutator-lvl2**.<br/>
If your code needs a compilation database for clang to understand it and you don't have one,you can use [Bear](https://github.com/rizsotto/Bear). Please note that bear will capture what the make runs, not what is in the makefile.<br/>

### Notes
#### **The project will be updated everytime there is a major LLVM release and will use those libraries instead of the old ones.**
#### **Support for XML output report for the Misra-C:2004 rule-checker coming soon.**
I'm using **TDD**. The files under the **test** folder are for that purpose. They are not unit tests or are not meant to test that the build process was successful.Those tests will be added later.<br/>
The project has been tested to biuld on Fedora23(other major linux distros should be fine). Windows remains untested. I might give it a try when I feel masochistic enough.<br/>
The project might, at a later point in time, start using **Cmake** for the build process. Currently there are no plans,though.<br/>
Misra 2008 and 2012 support will be added in the future.<br/>
Also a note regarding building the LLVM libraries. It is safer to build the libraries with clang++ if youre going to later use those libraries with clang++(you can get the distro version of clang from your distro's repo). The same applies to g++.<br/>
The master branch is the dev version. Release versions will be forked.<br/>
Doxygen comments will be added later on.<br/>
The XML Misra-C report will be using [TinyXML-2](https://github.com/leethomason/tinyxml2). It is lighweight and fast and the license suits the mutator project.<br/>