DbC

Design-by-Contract module for C/C++. More...

Files
file	dbc.h
	Design-by-Contract module.

Macros
#define	check(condition, message)
	Checks the verification of an general algorithm assertion.
#define	require(condition, message)
	Checks the verification of a precondition.
#define	ensure(condition, message)
	Checks the verification of a postcondition.
#define	invariant(condition, message)
	Checks the verification of an invariant.

Detailed Description

Design-by-Contract module for C/C++.

This module gives a better support for DbC in C++.

When compared with assert.h this module offers the following functionalities:

• separates different assertion types (preconditions, postconditions, invariants, and others);
• augments assert with error message strings;
• implements two error handling policies (through the definition of a macro – EXIT_POLICY/EXCEPTION_POLICY – as a compiler option):
  1. EXIT_POLICY (default): describes the failed assertion in stderr (with the identification and the precise location of the assertion), generates a segmentation fault (enabling a stack trace within a debugger like gdb), and exits program execution;
  2. EXCEPTION_POLICY: throws a char* exception with the description of the failed assertion.

Debug settings:

• As happens with assert.h, this module accepts NDEBUG macro definition to disable all assertion run-time verification.
• Also, each assertion type verification can be disabled with macros: NDEBUG_CHECKS, NDEBUG_PRECONDITIONS, NDEBUG_POSTCONDITIONS, and NDEBUG_INVARIANTS.
• A special (high priority) macro named DEBUG_ONLY_PRECONDITIONS ensures that only precondition debugging remains active (regardless of other debug definitions).

Author

Miguel Oliveira e Silva

Date

2018, 2026

Version

1.0

Macro Definition Documentation

check

#define check	(		condition,
			message
	)

Checks the verification of an general algorithm assertion.

This assertion verification can be disabled at compile time by defining the macro NDEBUG_CHECKS.

Parameters

[in]	condition	[int] expression to assert its truthness
[in]	message	[char*] text to be presented with error information when the assertion fails

require

#define require	(		condition,
			message
	)

Checks the verification of a precondition.

This assertion verification can be disabled at compile time by defining the macro NDEBUG_PRECONDITIONS.

Parameters

[in]	condition	[int] expression to assert its truthness
[in]	message	[char*] text to be presented with error information when the assertion fails

ensure

#define ensure	(		condition,
			message
	)

Checks the verification of a postcondition.

This assertion verification can be disabled at compile time by defining the macro NDEBUG_POSTCONDITIONS.

Parameters

[in]	condition	[int] expression to assert its truthness
[in]	message	[char*] text to be presented with error information when the assertion fails

invariant

#define invariant	(		condition,
			message
	)

Checks the verification of an invariant.

This assertion verification can be disabled at compile time by defining the macro NDEBUG_INVARIANTS.

Parameters

[in]	condition	[int] expression to assert its truthness
[in]	message	[char*] text to be presented with error information when the assertion fails