cmocka

Overview

cmocka is a unit testing framework for C with support for mock objects. It is designed to help test C code in isolation, using the standard C library and a small test-focused API. The upstream project documents its API and usage as a library for writing standalone test executables. (cmocka.org)

In a Linux distribution, this package typically exists to provide the library, headers, and related development files needed by projects that build C unit tests against cmocka. NiceOS maintainers should verify the exact split of runtime and development files in the spec before making assumptions about packaging policy.

Purpose and typical use cases

Typical uses include:

• writing unit tests for C applications and libraries
• mocking functions or dependencies during isolated test runs
• running test suites in CI/CD pipelines
• validating code paths that are hard to exercise in end-to-end tests
• checking error handling and edge cases in low-level C code

The package is most relevant for developers, CI/CD maintainers, and build engineers who need a test framework for C projects. Security engineers may also encounter it when testing code that must handle invalid input or fault conditions, but the package itself should not be treated as a security product.

Upstream project

Upstream documentation describes cmocka as an elegant unit testing framework for C with mock object support. The project provides online API documentation and a public project homepage. (cmocka.org)

Canonical upstream references:

• project homepage: https://cmocka.org/
• API documentation: https://api.cmocka.org/

Dist-git repository contents

This dist-git repository is organized as follows:

• SPECS/ — RPM spec files and packaging logic
• SOURCES/ — source metadata and integrity manifests used by the packaging workflow
• METADATA/ — repository metadata used by the dist-git tooling
• SBOM/ — software bill of materials artifacts, when present in the packaging workflow

The repository contains packaging metadata, not a full upstream source checkout.

Source storage and integrity policy

Large upstream source archives are intentionally not stored in this Git repository. Instead, source integrity is tracked through manifest files in SOURCES/.

For maintainers, that means:

• verify that the spec still points to the correct upstream source location or source handling method
• regenerate or refresh SOURCES/ manifest data when the upstream source changes
• confirm that the packaging metadata and source manifests stay in sync after updates
• avoid committing large binary source archives into the dist-git history

Do not rely on any single local file alone when reviewing an update; check the spec, manifests, and upstream release metadata together.

NiceOS maintenance notes

Before updating this package, NiceOS maintainers should verify:

• that the upstream release still matches the expected project purpose
• that the spec file does not require changes to build instructions, file lists, or subpackage handling
• whether any generated metadata in SOURCES/, SBOM/, or related packaging files needs regeneration
• whether upstream changed build tooling, test commands, or installed paths
• whether the update affects consumers that compile against the library or run tests with it

Practical risks to consider:

• test suites may need adaptation if upstream changes API behavior
• packaging files may need refresh if upstream renames build artifacts or documentation
• consumers may be sensitive to changes in compiler warnings, install locations, or CMake/Meson behavior; NiceOS maintainers should verify before relying on any assumption

Build and verification checklist

For RPM maintenance, a reasonable checklist is:

• inspect the spec diff before importing a new upstream release
• confirm that source handling and SOURCES/ manifests are updated correctly
• rebuild the package in a clean mock or comparable build environment
• run the package test suite if the spec enables tests
• verify that headers, library files, and documentation are installed as expected
• check that subpackage boundaries still make sense
• review the resulting RPMs for unexpected file additions or removals
• confirm that SBOM-related artifacts, if used, are still accurate

References

• cmocka project homepage
• cmocka API documentation
• cmocka project repository on GitHub

Russian documentation

See README_RU.md for the Russian version of this documentation.

Dist-git repository notes

• Package repository: rpms/cmocka
• NiceOS branch: niceos-5.2
• This README is intentionally stable and does not include EVR, source archive checksums or lock hashes.