benchci 0.2.2

Continuous Integration for Embedded Hardware

BenchCI

Continuous Integration for Embedded Hardware

Flash firmware, run automated tests on real devices, and validate embedded systems in CI — using simple YAML configs.

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🚀 Quickstart (30 seconds)

pip install benchci
benchci login
benchci run -b bench.yaml -s suite.yaml -a build/fw.elf

👉 That’s it — BenchCI will:

• flash firmware
• execute tests on real hardware
• validate behavior
• generate structured artifacts

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⚡ Why BenchCI?

Testing embedded firmware usually looks like this:

• flash firmware manually
• open serial terminal
• send commands
• watch logs
• write ad-hoc scripts
• repeat for every release

👉 This is manual, fragile, and not CI-friendly

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BenchCI makes hardware testing:

• ✅ declarative
• ✅ repeatable
• ✅ CI-ready
• ✅ scalable across teams

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🧠 Mental Model

BenchCI separates hardware and test logic:

• bench.yaml → your hardware setup
• suite.yaml → your tests

bench.yaml + suite.yaml
        ↓
   benchci run
        ↓
   real hardware execution
        ↓
   results + logs

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🏗️ How It Works

CI Pipeline / Developer
        │
        ▼
   benchci run
        │
        ▼
   BenchCI Agent
        │
        ▼
   Real Hardware Bench
        │
        ▼
   DUT / PLC / ECU

BenchCI separates:

• execution (CLI / CI)
• hardware access (Agent)

This enables:

• remote labs
• shared benches
• scalable hardware testing

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🧠 What BenchCI Does

BenchCI connects your CI pipeline directly to real hardware and allows you to:

• flash firmware automatically (OpenOCD, CubeProgrammer, J-Link, esptool)
• interact with devices over UART, Modbus RTU/TCP, and CAN
• control and monitor GPIO (local or remote)
• validate behavior with structured test steps
• run tests on remote hardware via Agent
• generate reproducible artifacts

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📄 Configuration Model

BenchCI uses two files:

bench.yaml

Defines your hardware:

• nodes (DUT, controllers, PLCs, etc.)
• transports (UART, Modbus, CAN)
• flashing configuration
• GPIO control

suite.yaml

Defines your tests:

• test cases
• step-by-step actions
• expected behavior

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🚀 Example

suite.yaml

version: "1"

suite:
  name: "firmware-tests"

tests:
  - name: boot_ok
    steps:
      - expect_uart:
          node: dut
          transport: console
          contains: "[BOOT] OK"
          within_ms: 3000

  - name: ping
    steps:
      - send_uart:
          node: dut
          transport: console
          data: "PING\n"
      - expect_uart:
          node: dut
          transport: console
          contains: "PONG"
          within_ms: 1000

Run:

benchci run -b bench.yaml -s suite.yaml -a build/fw.elf

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🔌 Supported Interfaces

Communication

• UART
• Modbus RTU
• Modbus TCP
• CAN

Hardware Control

• Linux GPIO
• Remote GPIO (via Agent)
• Mock GPIO

Flashing Backends

• OpenOCD
• STM32CubeProgrammer
• SEGGER J-Link
• esptool (ESP32)

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🧪 Example Scenarios

examples/
├── device_boot_validation/
├── local_gpio_reset_and_ready/
├── remote_gpio_power_cycle/
├── modbus_rtu_plc_validation/
├── modbus_tcp_gateway_validation/
├── can_ecu_handshake/
├── multi_node_system_smoke/

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📦 Output Artifacts

BenchCI generates structured outputs:

benchci-results/
└── <timestamp>/
    ├── results.json
    └── nodes/
        └── dut/
            ├── flash.log
            ├── gpio.log
            └── transport-console.log

Perfect for:

• CI pipelines
• debugging
• traceability

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🧰 CLI Workflow

• benchci doctor → check environment
• benchci validate → validate configs
• benchci login → authenticate
• benchci run → execute tests

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🔄 CI Integration

BenchCI is designed for automation:

• GitLab CI (example included)
• GitHub Actions / Jenkins
• remote execution via Agent

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📚 Documentation

👉 https://docs.benchci.dev

Includes:

• quickstart
• installation
• configuration guides
• agent setup
• CI integration

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📌 Repository Contents

This repository contains:

• documentation
• configuration examples
• CI examples
• helper tools

BenchCI core source code is maintained in a private repository.

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💼 License

BenchCI is a commercial product.

A valid license key is required to run commands.

For access:

📧 [e-mail]