Command Line Reference

The gcovr command recursively searches a directory tree to find gcov coverage files, and generates a text summary of the code coverage. The -h/--help option generates the following summary of the gcovr command line options:

gcovr

A utility to run gcov and summarize the coverage in simple reports.

usage: gcovr [options] [search_paths...]

See <http://gcovr.com/> for the full manual.

Options

search_paths

Search paths for coverage files. Defaults to --root and --gcov-object-directory. If path is a file it is used directly. Config key(s): search-path.

-h, --help

Show this help message, then exit.

--version

Print the version number, then exit.

-v, --verbose

Print progress messages. Please include this output in bug reports. Config key(s): verbose.

--no-color

Turn off colored logging. Is also set if environment variable NO_COLOR is present. Ignored if --force-color is used. Config key(s): no-color.

--force-color

Force colored logging, this is the default for a terminal. Is also set if environment variable FORCE_COLOR is present. Has presedence over --no-color. Config key(s): force-color.

-r <root>, --root <root>

The root directory of your source files. Defaults to ‘.’, the current directory. File names are reported relative to this root. The --root is the default --filter. Config key(s): root.

--config <config>

Load that configuration file. Defaults to gcovr.cfg in the --root directory.

--no-markers

Turn off exclusion markers. Any exclusion markers specified in source files will be ignored. Config key(s): no-markers.

--fail-under-line <min>

Exit with a status of 2 if the total line coverage is less than MIN. Can be ORed with exit status of ‘--fail-under-branch’, ‘--fail-under-decision’, and ‘--fail-under-function’ option. Config key(s): fail-under-line.

--fail-under-branch <min>

Exit with a status of 4 if the total branch coverage is less than MIN. Can be ORed with exit status of ‘--fail-under-line’, ‘--fail-under-decision’, and ‘--fail-under-function’ option. Config key(s): fail-under-branch.

--fail-under-decision <min>

Exit with a status of 8 if the total decision coverage is less than MIN. Can be ORed with exit status of ‘--fail-under-line’, ‘--fail-under-branch’, and ‘--fail-under-function’ option. Config key(s): fail-under-decision.

--fail-under-function <min>

Exit with a status of 16 if the total function coverage is less than MIN. Can be ORed with exit status of ‘--fail-under-line’, ‘--fail-under-branch’, and ‘--fail-under-decision’ option. Config key(s): fail-under-function.

--source-encoding <source_encoding>

Select the source file encoding. Defaults to the system default encoding (UTF-8). Config key(s): source-encoding.

--cobertura-add-tracefile <cobertura_add_tracefile>

Combine the coverage data from Cobertura XML files. When this option is used gcov is not run to collect the new coverage data. Config key(s): cobertura-add-tracefile.

-a <json_add_tracefile>, --json-add-tracefile <json_add_tracefile>, --add-tracefile <json_add_tracefile>

Combine the coverage data from JSON files. Coverage files contains source files structure relative to root directory. Those structures are combined in the output relative to the current root directory. Unix style wildcards can be used to add the pathnames matching a specified pattern. In this case pattern must be set in double quotation marks. Option can be specified multiple times. When option is used gcov is not run to collect the new coverage data. Config key(s): add-tracefile.

--txt-report-covered

Report the covered lines instead of the uncovered. Config key(s): txt-covered.

--exclude-lines-by-pattern <exclude_lines_by_pattern>

Exclude lines that match this regex. Config key(s): exclude-lines-by-pattern.

--exclude-branches-by-pattern <exclude_branches_by_pattern>

Exclude branches that match this regex. Config key(s): exclude-branches-by-pattern.

--exclude-pattern-prefix <exclude_pattern_prefix>

Define the regex prefix used in markers / line exclusions (i.e …_EXCL_START, …_EXCL_START, …_EXCL_STOP) Config key(s): exclude-pattern-prefix.

Output Options

Gcovr prints a text report by default, but can switch to XML or HTML.

-o <output>, --output <output>

Print output to this filename. Defaults to stdout. Individual output formats can override this. Config key(s): output.

--decisions

Report the decision coverage. For HTML, JSON, and the summary report. Config key(s): decisions.

--calls

Report the calls coverage. For HTML and the summary report. Config key(s): calls.

--sort-branches

Sort entries by branches instead of lines. Can only be used together with --sort-uncovered or --sort-percent is used. Config key(s): sort-branches.

--sort {filename,uncovered-number,uncovered-percent}

Sort entries by filename, number or percent of uncovered lines or branches(if the option --sort-branches is given). The default order is increasing and can be changed by --sort-reverse. The secondary sort key (if values are identical) is always the ascending filename. For CSV, HTML, JSON, LCOV and text report. Config key(s): sort.

-u, --sort-uncovered

Deprecated, please use ‘--sort-key uncovered-number’ instead. Sort entries by number of uncovered lines or branches (if the option --sort-branches is given). The default order is increasing and can be changed by --sort-reverse. The secondary sort key (if values are identical) is always the ascending filename. For CSV, HTML, JSON, LCOV and text report. Config key(s): sort-uncovered.

-p, --sort-percentage

Deprecated, please use ‘--sort-key uncovered-percent’ instead. Sort entries by percentage of uncovered lines or branches (if the option --sort-branches is given). The default order is increasing and can be changed by --sort-reverse. The secondary sort key (if values are identical) is always the ascending filename. For CSV, HTML, JSON, LCOV and text report. Config key(s): sort-percentage.

--sort-reverse

Sort entries in reverse order (see --sort). Config key(s): sort_reverse.

--clover <output>

Generate a Clover XML report. OUTPUT is optional and defaults to --output. Config key(s): clover.

--clover-pretty

Pretty-print the Clover XML report. Implies --clover. Config key(s): clover-pretty.

--clover-project <clover_project>

The project name for the Clover XML report. Config key(s): clover-project.

--cobertura <output>, -x <output>, --xml <output>

Generate a Cobertura XML report. OUTPUT is optional and defaults to --output. Config key(s): cobertura, xml.

--cobertura-pretty, --xml-pretty

Pretty-print the Cobertura XML report. Implies --cobertura. Config key(s): cobertura-pretty, xml-pretty.

--coveralls <output>

Generate Coveralls API coverage report in this file name. OUTPUT is optional and defaults to --output. Config key(s): coveralls.

--coveralls-pretty

Pretty-print the coveralls report. Implies --coveralls. Config key(s): coveralls-pretty.

--csv <output>

Generate a CSV summary report. OUTPUT is optional and defaults to --output. Config key(s): csv.

--html <output>

Generate a HTML report. OUTPUT is optional and defaults to --output. Config key(s): html.

--html-details <output>

Add annotated source code reports to the HTML report. Implies --html, can not be used together with --html-nested. OUTPUT is optional and defaults to --output. Config key(s): html-details.

--html-nested <output>

Add annotated source code reports to the HTML report. A page is created for each directory that summarize subdirectories with aggregated statistics. Implies --html, can not be used together with --html-details. OUTPUT is optional and defaults to --output. Config key(s): html-nested.

--html-template-dir <output>

Override the default Jinja2 template directory for the HTML report. Config key(s): html-template-dir.

--html-syntax-highlighting, --html-details-syntax-highlighting

Use syntax highlighting in HTML source page. Enabled by default. Negation: --no-html-syntax-highlighting, --no-html-details-syntax-highlighting. Config key(s): html-syntax-highlighting, html-details-syntax-highlighting.

--html-theme {green,blue,github.blue,github.green,github.dark-green,github.dark-blue}

Override the default color theme for the HTML report. Default is green. Config key(s): html-theme.

--html-css <css>

Override the default style sheet for the HTML report. Config key(s): html-css.

--html-title <title>

Use TITLE as title for the HTML report. Default is ‘GCC Code Coverage Report’. Config key(s): html-title.

--html-medium-threshold <medium>

If the coverage is below MEDIUM, the value is marked as low coverage in the HTML report. MEDIUM has to be lower than or equal to value of --html-high-threshold and greater than 0. If MEDIUM is equal to value of --html-high-threshold the report has only high and low coverage. Default is 75.0. Config key(s): html-medium-threshold.

--html-high-threshold <high>

If the coverage is below HIGH, the value is marked as medium coverage in the HTML report. HIGH has to be greater than or equal to value of --html-medium-threshold. If HIGH is equal to value of --html-medium-threshold the report has only high and low coverage. Default is 90.0. Config key(s): html-high-threshold.

--html-medium-threshold-branch <medium_branch>

If the coverage is below MEDIUM_BRANCH, the value is marked as low coverage in the HTML report. MEDIUM_BRANCH has to be lower than or equal to value of --html-high-threshold-branch and greater than 0. If MEDIUM_BRANCH is equal to value of --html-medium-threshold-branch the report has only high and low coverage. Default is taken from --html-medium-threshold. Config key(s): html-medium-threshold-branch.

--html-high-threshold-branch <high_branch>

If the coverage is below HIGH_BRANCH, the value is marked as medium coverage in the HTML report. HIGH_BRANCH has to be greater than or equal to value of --html-medium-threshold-branch. If HIGH_BRANCH is equal to value of --html-medium-threshold-branch the report has only high and low coverage. Default is taken from --html-high-threshold. Config key(s): html-high-threshold-branch.

--html-medium-threshold-line <medium_line>

If the coverage is below MEDIUM_LINE, the value is marked as low coverage in the HTML report. MEDIUM_LINE has to be lower than or equal to value of --html-high-threshold-line and greater than 0. If MEDIUM_LINE is equal to value of --html-medium-threshold-line the report has only high and low coverage. Default is taken from --html-medium-threshold. Config key(s): html-medium-threshold-line.

--html-high-threshold-line <high_line>

If the coverage is below HIGH_LINE, the value is marked as medium coverage in the HTML report. HIGH_LINE has to be greater than or equal to value of --html-medium-threshold-line. If HIGH_LINE is equal to value of --html-medium-threshold-line the report has only high and low coverage. Default is taken from --html-high-threshold. Config key(s): html-high-threshold-line.

--html-tab-size <html_tab_size>

Used spaces for a tab in a source file. Default is 4 Config key(s): html-tab-size.

--html-absolute-paths

Use absolute paths to link the --html-details reports. Defaults to relative links. Config key(s): html-absolute-paths.

--html-encoding <html_encoding>

Override the declared HTML report encoding. Defaults to UTF-8. See also --source-encoding. Config key(s): html-encoding.

--html-self-contained

Control whether the HTML report bundles resources like CSS styles. Self-contained reports can be sent via email, but conflict with the Content Security Policy of some web servers. Defaults to self-contained reports unless --html-details is used. Negation: --no-html-self-contained. Config key(s): html-self-contained.

--jacoco <output>

Generate a JaCoCo XML report. OUTPUT is optional and defaults to --output. Config key(s): jacoco.

--jacoco-pretty

Pretty-print the JaCoCo XML report. Implies --jacoco. Config key(s): jacoco-pretty.

--json <output>

Generate a JSON report. OUTPUT is optional and defaults to --output. Config key(s): json.

--json-pretty

Pretty-print the JSON report. Implies --json. Config key(s): json-pretty.

--json-summary <output>

Generate a JSON summary report. OUTPUT is optional and defaults to --output. Config key(s): json-summary.

--json-summary-pretty

Pretty-print the JSON SUMMARY report. Implies --json-summary. Config key(s): json-summary-pretty.

--json-base <path>

Prepend the given path to all file paths in JSON report. Config key(s): json-base.

--lcov <output>

Generate a LCOV info file. OUTPUT is optional and defaults to --output. Config key(s): lcov.

--lcov-comment <comment>

The comment used in LCOV file. Config key(s): lcov-comment.

--lcov-test-name <name>

The name used for TN in LCOV file. Default is ‘GCOVR report’. Config key(s): lcov-test-name.

--sonarqube <output>

Generate sonarqube generic coverage report in this file name. OUTPUT is optional and defaults to --output. Config key(s): sonarqube.

--txt-metric {line,branch,decision}

The metric type to report. Config key(s): txt-metric.

-b, --txt-branches, --branches

Deprecated, please use ‘--txt-metric branch’ instead.Report the branch coverage instead of the line coverage in text report. Config key(s): txt-branch.

--txt <output>

Generate a text report. OUTPUT is optional and defaults to --output. Config key(s): txt.

-s, --txt-summary, --print-summary

Print a small report to stdout with line & function & branch percentage coverage optional parts are decision & call coverage. This is in addition to other reports. Config key(s): txt-summary, print-summary.

--timestamp <timestamp>

Override current time for reproducible reports. Can use YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss or epoch notation. Used by HTML, Coveralls, and Cobertura reports. Default is taken from environment variable SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH (see https://reproducible-builds.org/docs/source-date-epoch) or current time. Config key(s): timestamp.

Filter Options

Filters decide which files are included in the report. Any filter must match, and no exclude filter must match. A filter is a regular expression that matches a path. Filter paths use forward slashes, even on Windows. If the filter looks like an absolute path it is matched against an absolute path. Otherwise, the filter is matched against a relative path, where that path is relative to the current directory or if defined in a configuration file to the directory of the file.

--gcov-filter <gcov_filter>

Keep only gcov data files that match this filter. Can be specified multiple times. Config key(s): gcov-filter.

--gcov-exclude <gcov_exclude>

Exclude gcov data files that match this filter. Can be specified multiple times. Config key(s): gcov-exclude.

--gcov-exclude-directories <gcov_exclude_dirs>, --exclude-directories <gcov_exclude_dirs>

Exclude directories that match this regex while searching raw coverage files. Can be specified multiple times. Config key(s): gcov-exclude-directories, exclude-directories.

-f <filter>, --filter <filter>

Keep only source files that match this filter. Can be specified multiple times. Relative filters are relative to the current working directory or if defined in a configuration file. If no filters are provided, defaults to --root. Config key(s): filter.

-e <exclude>, --exclude <exclude>

Exclude source files that match this filter. Can be specified multiple times. Config key(s): exclude.

GCOV Options

The ‘gcov’ tool turns raw coverage files (.gcda and .gcno) into .gcov files that are then processed by gcovr. The gcno files are generated by the compiler. The gcda files are generated when the instrumented program is executed.

-g, --gcov-use-existing-files, --use-gcov-files

Use existing gcov files for analysis. Config key(s): gcov-use-existing-files, use-gcov-files.

--gcov-ignore-errors {all,source_not_found,output_error,no_working_dir_found}

Ignore errors from invoking GCOV command instead of exiting with an error. A report will be shown on stderr. Default is ‘None’. Config key(s): gcov-ignore-errors.

--gcov-ignore-parse-errors {all,negative_hits.warn,negative_hits.warn_once_per_file}

Skip lines with parse errors in GCOV files instead of exiting with an error. A report will be shown on stderr. Default is ‘None’. Config key(s): gcov-ignore-parse-errors.

--gcov-executable <gcov_cmd>

Use a particular gcov executable. Must match the compiler you are using, e.g. ‘llvm-cov gcov’ for Clang. Can include additional arguments. Defaults to the GCOV environment variable, or ‘gcov’: ‘gcov’. Config key(s): gcov-executable.

--gcov-object-directory <gcov_objdir>, --object-directory <gcov_objdir>

Override normal working directory detection. Gcovr needs to identify the path between gcda files and the directory where the compiler was originally run. Normally, gcovr can guess correctly. This option specifies either the path from gcc to the gcda file (i.e. gcc’s ‘-o’ option), or the path from the gcda file to gcc’s working directory. Config key(s): gcov-object-directory, object-directory.

-k, --gcov-keep, --keep

Keep gcov files after processing. This applies both to files that were generated by gcovr, or were supplied via the --gcov-use-existing-files option. Config key(s): keep-gcov-files.

-d, --gcov-delete, --delete

Delete gcda files after processing. Config key(s): delete-gcov-files.

-j <gcov_parallel>

Set the number of threads to use in parallel. Config key(s): gcov-parallel.

--merge-mode-functions {strict,merge-use-line-0,merge-use-line-min,merge-use-line-max,separate}

The merge mode for functions coverage from different gcov files for same sourcefile.Default is ‘strict’. Config key(s): merge-mode-functions.

--include-internal-functions

Include function coverage of compiler internal functions (starting with ‘__’ or ‘_GLOBAL__sub_I_’). Config key(s): include-internal-functions.

--exclude-unreachable-branches

Exclude branch coverage from lines without useful source code (often, compiler-generated ‘dead’ code). Config key(s): exclude-unreachable-branches.

--exclude-function-lines

Exclude coverage from lines defining a function. Config key(s): exclude-function-lines.

--exclude-noncode-lines

Exclude coverage from lines which seem to be non-code. Negation: --no-exclude-noncode-lines. Config key(s): exclude-noncode-lines.

--exclude-throw-branches

For branch coverage, exclude branches that the compiler generates for exception handling. This often leads to more ‘sensible’ coverage reports. Config key(s): exclude-throw-branches.

For guide-level explanation on using these options, see the User Guide.