NAME
    Devel::Cover - Code coverage metrics for Perl

SYNOPSIS
     perl -MDevel::Cover yourprog args
     cover

     perl -MDevel::Cover=-db,cover_db,-coverage,statement,time yourprog args

    To test an uninstalled module:

     cover -delete
     HARNESS_PERL_SWITCHES=-MDevel::Cover make test
     cover

    If the module does not use the t/*.t framework:

     PERL5OPT=-MDevel::Cover make test

DESCRIPTION
    This module provides code coverage metrics for Perl.

    If you can't guess by the version number this is an alpha release.

    Code coverage data are collected using a pluggable runops function which
    counts how many times each op is executed. These data are then mapped
    back to reality using the B compiler modules. There is also a statement
    profiling facility which needs a better backend to be really useful.

    The cover program can be used to generate coverage reports.

    Statement, branch, condition, subroutine, pod and time coverage
    information is reported. Statement coverage data should be reasonable,
    although there may be some statements which are not reported. Branch and
    condition coverage data should be mostly accurate too, although not
    always what one might initially expect. Subroutine coverage should be as
    accurate as statement coverage. Pod coverage comes from Pod::Coverage.
    Coverage data for path coverage are not yet collected.

    The gcov2perl program can be used to convert gcov files to
    "Devel::Cover" databases.

    You may find that the results don't match your expectations. I would
    imagine that at least one of them is wrong.

    The most appropriate mailing list on which to discuss this module would
    be perl-qa. Discussion has migrated there from perl-qa-metrics which is
    now defunct. See <http://lists.perl.org/showlist.cgi?name=perl-qa>.

REQUIREMENTS
    * Perl 5.6.1 or greater
        Perl 5.7.0 is unsupported. Perl 5.8.1 or greater is recommended.
        Whilst Perl 5.6 should work you will probably miss out on coverage
        information which would be available using a more modern version.

    * The ability to compile XS extensions.
        This means a working compiler and make program at least.

    * Storable and Digest::MD5
        Both are in the core in Perl 5.8.0 and above.

    * Pod::Coverage
        if you want Pod coverage.

    * Test::Differences
        if the tests fail and you would like nice output telling you why.