# Testing on the Host vs Target

- Show: [The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast)
- Published: 2021-09-07
- Length: 30m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2021-09-07-testing-on-the-host-vs-target
- Listen: https://agileembeddedpodcast.com/episodes/testing-on-the-host-vs-target-2z3L298U

## Summary

Jeff Gable and Luca discuss the strategy of testing embedded software on the host machine versus the target hardware, arguing that host testing catches the majority of bugs while target testing is reserved for hardware-specific interactions. They introduce architectural patterns like the Model-Hardware-Controller (MHC) and the Data Model pattern to decouple business logic from hardware, enabling effective unit testing. The conversation also covers handling resource-constrained systems by optimizing last and using special integration tests to uncover low-level bugs like interrupt priority issues.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2021-09-07-testing-on-the-host-vs-target#t=0) Introduction and Listener Question
- [1:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2021-09-07-testing-on-the-host-vs-target#t=85) Host vs Target Testing Feasibility
- [5:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2021-09-07-testing-on-the-host-vs-target#t=325) What Can and Cannot Be Tested on Host
- [11:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2021-09-07-testing-on-the-host-vs-target#t=669) Special Integration Tests and Automation
- [19:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2021-09-07-testing-on-the-host-vs-target#t=1157) Architectural Patterns for Testability
- [24:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2021-09-07-testing-on-the-host-vs-target#t=1497) Optimization and Resource Constraints

## Topics

- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Throw the Switch (company)
- Patterns in the Machine (product)
- John Taylor (other)
- Model-Hardware-Controller (other)
- Data Model (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [191: What, Yogurt!?!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-03-15-191-what-yogurt) (Embedded.fm)
- [280: Reginald P. Theodore Johnson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-03-08-280-reginald-p-theodore-johnson) (Embedded.fm)
- [30: Eventually Lightning Strikes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-12-11-30-eventually-lightning-strikes) (Embedded.fm)
- [159: Flying Rainbow Children](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-07-05-159-flying-rainbow-children) (Embedded.fm)
- [270: Broccoli Is Good Too](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-12-14-270-broccoli-is-good-too) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2021-09-07-testing-on-the-host-vs-target. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast.