Mutate (tool)

type: module path: "@root/tools/Mutate.pudu" fidelity: Active grammar: "[[grammar/pudu]]" tags: [module, tool]

Purpose

Mutation testing: apply one operator change at a time to source files, run the checks and the suites, and report survivors.

Interface

pudu run tools/Mutate.pudu [--file <path> | --domain] [--suites <path>] [--every <n>] [--threshold <percent>] [--dry-run], with PUDU_BIN naming the compiler (default pudu) and --suites the suites to run (default test).

Algorithm

1. Mutants are operator swaps at code positions outside strings, character literals, comments, and imports; comparisons must be spaced so type brackets are not mutated.
2. A mutant that fails pudu check is invalid; one whose suites still pass survived.
3. --domain limits the run to the pure layer; --every n samples; --threshold fails the run below a score.

Negative Logic (Prohibited Paths)

• Every mutated file is restored before the next mutant, whatever the verdict.
• A mutant whose suites run past 30 seconds counts as killed.
• The harness runs on a committed tree only: a run stopped mid-mutant leaves that one change, which git diff shows and git checkout removes.

Grill Log

• Q: Why mutate only the domain in pull requests? A: It holds every rule about what a file means, where a single-point change is most likely to go unnoticed, and it runs in minutes. _Rejected:_ the full tree on every pull request.
• Q: Why run the domain mutants against the domain suites only? A: The pure layer must be pinned by its own suites; the suites that build temporary trees take longer and would only hide a gap in the domain suites. _Rejected:_ the whole tree's suites per mutant.

Referenced by

[[architecture/TESTING]] · [[src/_MOC]]