Getting Started with .NET Code Coverage

We live and breathe code coverage and the pursuit of building quality code. Since we have been doing it for years, we forget that each and every day new people discover and are getting started with .NET code coverage.

With that in mind, we thought it would be helpful to pull together some of the most common questions we receive about code coverage and NCover.  Here they are:

What is Code Coverage and Why Does It Matter?

In a nutshell, code coverage is the process of determining which sections of your source code have been tested and which sections of your source code have not been tested. This insight allows you to improve your overall testing strategies and the overall health of your code base. The ultimate golas for most organizations are (1) to  increase revenue by providing end users with a higher quality application that is easier to sell and (2) to reduce the total costs of supporting that application in terms of general support and bug fixes. Looking for more Code Coverage 101? We’ve got you covered here.

Can I Collect Code Coverage on My Build Server?

Collecting code coverage on your build service is available through our server-based product, Code Central. It allows you to monitor any number of build servers and test machines and collect coverage data. Code Central can collect coverage directly if it is installed locally on the build server or it can connect to any machine with Collector installed and collect coverage remotely.

Now that you know you can – the next question is HOW? Well – we’ve got that spelled out for you in three easy steps right here.

Can I Cover IIS and My .NET Web Apps?

Yes you can! NCover collects coverage on your .NET web apps by profiling IIS. Specifically, NCover watches the w3wp.exe, the IIS worker process, in order to collect coverage. This approach allows you to automatically capture coverage once you have properly configured your project. How do I properly configure my project? Well we’ve got that for you right here.

Did we miss your question? Leave us a comment or check out our support and resources sections to help find the answers you are looking for. Keep covered and code on our friends. We cannot wait to see what you make next.