[RFC] devtool: Add test-image plugin for testing packages via devtool via images.

Based of a feature of AUH this is a plugin to run a testimage directly with one packages installed that you are working on via devtool.

Inputs would be a:
- target image
- target packages

The tool will take care to make sure it also installs the minimal necessary dependencies to be able to run ptest on the target image.
Logs will be captured and stored in the devtool workspace for easy access.

Minimal example to test:
- modify a package via devtool
- call this new method with said package and for instance core-image-minimal

Signed-off-by: Tom Geelen <t.f.g.geelen@gmail.com>
---
 scripts/lib/devtool/testimage.py | 122 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 122 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 scripts/lib/devtool/testimage.py

This looks alright, but it really does need tests, in
meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/devtool.py

Alex

On Thu, 8 Jan 2026 at 00:12, Tom Geelen <t.f.g.geelen@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Based of a feature of AUH this is a plugin to run a testimage directly with one packages installed that you are working on via devtool.
>
> Inputs would be a:
> - target image
> - target packages
>
> The tool will take care to make sure it also installs the minimal necessary dependencies to be able to run ptest on the target image.
> Logs will be captured and stored in the devtool workspace for easy access.
>
> Minimal example to test:
> - modify a package via devtool
> - call this new method with said package and for instance core-image-minimal
>
> Signed-off-by: Tom Geelen <t.f.g.geelen@gmail.com>
> ---
>  scripts/lib/devtool/testimage.py | 122 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>  1 file changed, 122 insertions(+)
>  create mode 100644 scripts/lib/devtool/testimage.py
>
> diff --git a/scripts/lib/devtool/testimage.py b/scripts/lib/devtool/testimage.py
> new file mode 100644
> index 0000000000..809bd4bfb2
> --- /dev/null
> +++ b/scripts/lib/devtool/testimage.py
> @@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
> +# Development tool - test-image plugin
> +#
> +# Copyright (C) 2026 Authors
> +#
> +# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
> +
> +"""Devtool plugin containing the test-image subcommand.
> +
> +Builds a target image, installs specified package(s) from the workspace or
> +layer, and runs the image's test suite via the BitBake `testimage` task.
> +"""
> +
> +import os
> +import logging
> +
> +from devtool import setup_tinfoil, parse_recipe, DevtoolError
> +from devtool.build_image import build_image_task
> +
> +logger = logging.getLogger('devtool')
> +
> +
> +def _collect_install_packages(tinfoil, config, package_names):
> +    """Return list of packages to install, including -ptest when available.
> +
> +    package_names: list of PN values (typically recipe names).
> +    """
> +    install = []
> +    for pn in package_names:
> +        rd = parse_recipe(config, tinfoil, pn, True)
> +        if not rd:
> +            # parse_recipe already logs errors
> +            raise DevtoolError(f'Unable to find or parse recipe for package {pn}')
> +
> +        install.append(pn)
> +        packages_var = rd.getVar('PACKAGES') or ''
> +        packages = packages_var.split()
> +        ptest_pkg = f'{pn}-ptest'
> +        if ptest_pkg in packages:
> +            install.append(ptest_pkg)
> +            logger.info('Including ptest package %s', ptest_pkg)
> +        else:
> +            logger.debug('No ptest package found for %s', pn)
> +    return install
> +
> +
> +def test_image(args, config, basepath, workspace):
> +    """Entry point for the devtool 'test-image' subcommand."""
> +
> +    if not args.imagename:
> +        raise DevtoolError('Image recipe to test must be specified')
> +    if not args.package:
> +        raise DevtoolError('Package(s) to install must be specified via -p/--package')
> +
> +    package_names = [p.strip() for p in args.package.split(',') if p.strip()]
> +    if not package_names:
> +        raise DevtoolError('No valid package name(s) provided')
> +
> +    # Prepare a bbappend with IMAGE_INSTALL and testimage variables
> +    tinfoil = setup_tinfoil(basepath=basepath)
> +    try:
> +        install_pkgs = _collect_install_packages(tinfoil, config, package_names)
> +    finally:
> +        tinfoil.shutdown()
> +
> +    logdir = os.path.join(config.workspace_path, 'testimage-logs')
> +    try:
> +        os.makedirs(logdir, exist_ok=True)
> +    except Exception as exc:
> +        raise DevtoolError(f'Failed to create test logs directory {logdir}: {exc}')
> +
> +    pkg_append = ' '.join(sorted(set(install_pkgs)))
> +    extra_append = [
> +        f'TEST_LOG_DIR = "{logdir}"',
> +        # Ensure changes to these vars retrigger testimage and are visible
> +        'TESTIMAGE_UPDATE_VARS:append = " TEST_LOG_DIR IMAGE_CLASSES TEST_SUITES DISTRO_FEATURES"',
> +        # Ensure runtime test framework is enabled even if image/distro omitted it
> +        'IMAGE_CLASSES:append = " testimage"',
> +        'TEST_SUITES = "ping ssh ptest"',
> +        'DISTRO_FEATURES:append = " ptest"',
> +        'TEST_RUNQEMUPARAMS = "slirp"',
> +        # Ensure requested packages (and -ptest where available) are installed
> +        f'IMAGE_INSTALL:append = " {pkg_append}"',
> +    ]
> +
> +    logger.info('Building and testing image %s with packages: %s',
> +                args.imagename, ' '.join(install_pkgs))
> +
> +    # Reuse build_image_task to run -c testimage with our bbappend
> +    result, _outputdir = build_image_task(
> +        config,
> +        basepath,
> +        workspace,
> +        args.imagename,
> +        add_packages=install_pkgs,
> +        task='testimage',
> +        extra_append=extra_append,
> +    )
> +
> +    if result == 0:
> +        logger.info('Testimage completed. Logs are in %s', logdir)
> +    return result
> +
> +
> +def register_commands(subparsers, context):
> +    """Register devtool subcommands from the test-image plugin"""
> +    parser = subparsers.add_parser(
> +        'test-image',
> +        help='Build image, install package(s), and run testimage',
> +        description=(
> +            'Builds an image, installs specified package(s), and runs the\n'
> +            'BitBake testimage task to validate on-target functionality.'
> +        ),
> +        group='testbuild',
> +        order=-9,
> +    )
> +    parser.add_argument('imagename', help='Image recipe to test')
> +    parser.add_argument(
> +        '-p', '--package', '--packages',
> +        help='Package(s) to install into the image (comma-separated)',
> +        metavar='PACKAGES',
> +    )
> +    parser.set_defaults(func=test_image)
> --
> 2.43.0
>

Thanks for the review. I'll add tests before submitting a new revision.

Tom

On Thu, Jan 8, 2026 at 12:30 PM Alexander Kanavin <alex.kanavin@gmail.com>
wrote:

> This looks alright, but it really does need tests, in
> meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/devtool.py
>
> Alex
>
> On Thu, 8 Jan 2026 at 00:12, Tom Geelen <t.f.g.geelen@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Based of a feature of AUH this is a plugin to run a testimage directly
> with one packages installed that you are working on via devtool.
> >
> > Inputs would be a:
> > - target image
> > - target packages
> >
> > The tool will take care to make sure it also installs the minimal
> necessary dependencies to be able to run ptest on the target image.
> > Logs will be captured and stored in the devtool workspace for easy
> access.
> >
> > Minimal example to test:
> > - modify a package via devtool
> > - call this new method with said package and for instance
> core-image-minimal
> >
> > Signed-off-by: Tom Geelen <t.f.g.geelen@gmail.com>
> > ---
> >  scripts/lib/devtool/testimage.py | 122 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> >  1 file changed, 122 insertions(+)
> >  create mode 100644 scripts/lib/devtool/testimage.py
> >
> > diff --git a/scripts/lib/devtool/testimage.py
> b/scripts/lib/devtool/testimage.py
> > new file mode 100644
> > index 0000000000..809bd4bfb2
> > --- /dev/null
> > +++ b/scripts/lib/devtool/testimage.py
> > @@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
> > +# Development tool - test-image plugin
> > +#
> > +# Copyright (C) 2026 Authors
> > +#
> > +# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
> > +
> > +"""Devtool plugin containing the test-image subcommand.
> > +
> > +Builds a target image, installs specified package(s) from the workspace
> or
> > +layer, and runs the image's test suite via the BitBake `testimage` task.
> > +"""
> > +
> > +import os
> > +import logging
> > +
> > +from devtool import setup_tinfoil, parse_recipe, DevtoolError
> > +from devtool.build_image import build_image_task
> > +
> > +logger = logging.getLogger('devtool')
> > +
> > +
> > +def _collect_install_packages(tinfoil, config, package_names):
> > +    """Return list of packages to install, including -ptest when
> available.
> > +
> > +    package_names: list of PN values (typically recipe names).
> > +    """
> > +    install = []
> > +    for pn in package_names:
> > +        rd = parse_recipe(config, tinfoil, pn, True)
> > +        if not rd:
> > +            # parse_recipe already logs errors
> > +            raise DevtoolError(f'Unable to find or parse recipe for
> package {pn}')
> > +
> > +        install.append(pn)
> > +        packages_var = rd.getVar('PACKAGES') or ''
> > +        packages = packages_var.split()
> > +        ptest_pkg = f'{pn}-ptest'
> > +        if ptest_pkg in packages:
> > +            install.append(ptest_pkg)
> > +            logger.info('Including ptest package %s', ptest_pkg)
> > +        else:
> > +            logger.debug('No ptest package found for %s', pn)
> > +    return install
> > +
> > +
> > +def test_image(args, config, basepath, workspace):
> > +    """Entry point for the devtool 'test-image' subcommand."""
> > +
> > +    if not args.imagename:
> > +        raise DevtoolError('Image recipe to test must be specified')
> > +    if not args.package:
> > +        raise DevtoolError('Package(s) to install must be specified via
> -p/--package')
> > +
> > +    package_names = [p.strip() for p in args.package.split(',') if
> p.strip()]
> > +    if not package_names:
> > +        raise DevtoolError('No valid package name(s) provided')
> > +
> > +    # Prepare a bbappend with IMAGE_INSTALL and testimage variables
> > +    tinfoil = setup_tinfoil(basepath=basepath)
> > +    try:
> > +        install_pkgs = _collect_install_packages(tinfoil, config,
> package_names)
> > +    finally:
> > +        tinfoil.shutdown()
> > +
> > +    logdir = os.path.join(config.workspace_path, 'testimage-logs')
> > +    try:
> > +        os.makedirs(logdir, exist_ok=True)
> > +    except Exception as exc:
> > +        raise DevtoolError(f'Failed to create test logs directory
> {logdir}: {exc}')
> > +
> > +    pkg_append = ' '.join(sorted(set(install_pkgs)))
> > +    extra_append = [
> > +        f'TEST_LOG_DIR = "{logdir}"',
> > +        # Ensure changes to these vars retrigger testimage and are
> visible
> > +        'TESTIMAGE_UPDATE_VARS:append = " TEST_LOG_DIR IMAGE_CLASSES
> TEST_SUITES DISTRO_FEATURES"',
> > +        # Ensure runtime test framework is enabled even if image/distro
> omitted it
> > +        'IMAGE_CLASSES:append = " testimage"',
> > +        'TEST_SUITES = "ping ssh ptest"',
> > +        'DISTRO_FEATURES:append = " ptest"',
> > +        'TEST_RUNQEMUPARAMS = "slirp"',
> > +        # Ensure requested packages (and -ptest where available) are
> installed
> > +        f'IMAGE_INSTALL:append = " {pkg_append}"',
> > +    ]
> > +
> > +    logger.info('Building and testing image %s with packages: %s',
> > +                args.imagename, ' '.join(install_pkgs))
> > +
> > +    # Reuse build_image_task to run -c testimage with our bbappend
> > +    result, _outputdir = build_image_task(
> > +        config,
> > +        basepath,
> > +        workspace,
> > +        args.imagename,
> > +        add_packages=install_pkgs,
> > +        task='testimage',
> > +        extra_append=extra_append,
> > +    )
> > +
> > +    if result == 0:
> > +        logger.info('Testimage completed. Logs are in %s', logdir)
> > +    return result
> > +
> > +
> > +def register_commands(subparsers, context):
> > +    """Register devtool subcommands from the test-image plugin"""
> > +    parser = subparsers.add_parser(
> > +        'test-image',
> > +        help='Build image, install package(s), and run testimage',
> > +        description=(
> > +            'Builds an image, installs specified package(s), and runs
> the\n'
> > +            'BitBake testimage task to validate on-target
> functionality.'
> > +        ),
> > +        group='testbuild',
> > +        order=-9,
> > +    )
> > +    parser.add_argument('imagename', help='Image recipe to test')
> > +    parser.add_argument(
> > +        '-p', '--package', '--packages',
> > +        help='Package(s) to install into the image (comma-separated)',
> > +        metavar='PACKAGES',
> > +    )
> > +    parser.set_defaults(func=test_image)
> > --
> > 2.43.0
> >
>