Testing tools

Program testing and fault detection can be aided significantly by testing tools and debuggers. Testing/debug tools include features such as:

    * Program monitors, permitting full or partial monitoring of program code including:
          o Instruction Set Simulator, permitting complete instruction level monitoring and trace facilities
          o Program animation, permitting step-by-step execution and conditional breakpoint at source level or in machine code
          o Code coverage reports
    * Formatted dump or Symbolic debugging, tools allowing inspection of program variables on error or at chosen points
    * Automated functional GUI testing tools are used to repeat system-level tests through the GUI
    * Benchmarks, allowing run-time performance comparisons to be made
    * Performance analysis (or profiling tools) that can help to highlight hot spots and resource usage

Some of these features may be incorporated into an Integrated Development Environment (IDE).