Compare PCOV vs. pytest-cov

A standalone driver compatible with CodeCoverage for PHP is known as PCOV. When PCOV is not configured, it will search for directories named src, lib, or app in the current working directory sequentially; if none of these are located, it defaults to using the current directory, which can lead to inefficient use of resources by storing coverage data for the entire test suite. If the PCOV configuration includes test code, it is advisable to utilize the exclude command to optimize resource usage. To prevent the unnecessary allocation of additional memory arenas for traces and control flow graphs, PCOV should be adjusted based on the memory demands of the test suite. Furthermore, to avoid table reallocations, the PCOV setting should exceed the total number of files being tested, including all test files. It's important to note that interoperability with Xdebug is not achievable. Internally, PCOV overrides the executor function, which can disrupt any extension or SAPI that attempts to do the same. Notably, PCOV operates at zero cost, allowing code to execute at full speed, thus enhancing performance without additional overhead. This efficiency makes it a valuable tool for developers looking to maintain high performance while ensuring effective code coverage.

This plugin generates detailed coverage reports that offer more functionality compared to merely using coverage run. It includes support for subprocess execution, allowing you to fork or run tasks in a subprocess while still obtaining coverage seamlessly. Additionally, it integrates with xdist, enabling the use of all pytest-xdist features without sacrificing coverage reporting. The plugin maintains consistent behavior with pytest, ensuring that all functionalities provided by the coverage package are accessible either via pytest-cov's command line options or through coverage's configuration file. In rare cases, a stray .pth file might remain in the site packages after execution. To guarantee that each test run starts with clean data, the data file is cleared at the start of testing. If you wish to merge coverage results from multiple test runs, you can utilize the --cov-append option to add this data to that of previous runs. Furthermore, the data file is retained at the conclusion of testing, allowing users to leverage standard coverage tools for further analysis of the results. This additional functionality enhances the overall user experience by providing better management of coverage data throughout the testing process.