@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
-========================================
-The Kernel Test Anything Protocol (KTAP)
-========================================
+===================================================
+The Kernel Test Anything Protocol (KTAP), version 1
+===================================================
TAP, or the Test Anything Protocol is a format for specifying test results used
by a number of projects. It's website and specification are found at this `link
@@ -174,6 +174,13 @@ There may be lines within KTAP output that do not follow the format of one of
the four formats for lines described above. This is allowed, however, they will
not influence the status of the tests.
+This is an important difference from TAP. Kernel tests may print messages
+to the system console or a log file. Both of these destinations may contain
+messages either from unrelated kernel or userspace activity, or kernel
+messages from non-test code that is invoked by the test. The kernel code
+invoked by the test likely is not aware that a test is in progress and
+thus can not print the message as a diagnostic message.
+
Nested tests
------------
@@ -186,10 +193,13 @@ starting with another KTAP version line and test plan, and end with the overall
result. If one of the subtests fail, for example, the parent test should also
fail.
-Additionally, all result lines in a subtest should be indented. One level of
+Additionally, all lines in a subtest should be indented. One level of
indentation is two spaces: " ". The indentation should begin at the version
line and should end before the parent test's result line.
+"Unknown lines" are not considered to be lines in a subtest and thus are
+allowed to be either indented or not indented.
+
An example of a test with two nested subtests:
.. code-block::
@@ -224,10 +234,15 @@ An example format with multiple levels of nested testing:
Major differences between TAP and KTAP
--------------------------------------
-Note the major differences between the TAP and KTAP specification:
-- yaml and json are not recommended in diagnostic messages
-- TODO directive not recognized
-- KTAP allows for an arbitrary number of tests to be nested
+================================================== ========= ===============
+Feature TAP KTAP
+================================================== ========= ===============
+yaml and json in diagnosic message ok not recommended
+TODO directive ok not recognized
+allows an arbitrary number of tests to be nested no yes
+"Unknown lines" are in category of "Anything else" yes no
+"Unknown lines" are incorrect allowed
+================================================== ========= ===============
The TAP14 specification does permit nested tests, but instead of using another
nested version line, uses a line of the form