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Selftest Map

Reference Position

flowchart TD
  family["Reproducible Research"] --> program["Deep Dive Make"]
  program --> reference["Selftest Map"]
  reference --> review["Design or review decision"]
  review --> capstone["Capstone proof surface"]
flowchart TD
  trigger["Hit a naming, boundary, or trade-off question"] --> lookup["Use this page as a glossary, map, rubric, or atlas"]
  lookup --> compare["Compare the current code or workflow against the boundary"]
  compare --> decision["Turn the comparison into a keep, change, or reject call"]

Read the first diagram as a lookup map: this page is part of the review shelf, not a first-read narrative. Read the second diagram as the reference rhythm: arrive with a concrete ambiguity, compare the current work against the boundary on the page, then turn that comparison into a decision.

selftest is the most important executable proof in Deep Dive Make. This page maps each step of the harness to the build claim it is defending.

Use it when you want to understand why selftest is stronger than make all.

Selftest Steps

Step in tests/run.sh What it proves Main files
convergence a successful build reaches an up-to-date state capstone/Makefile, capstone/tests/run.sh
serial-parallel equivalence -j changes throughput, not artifact meaning capstone/tests/run.sh, capstone/repro/
trace guardrail observability cost is bounded instead of drifting silently capstone/tests/run.sh, capstone/Makefile
hidden input detection the harness can detect a lying graph rather than only happy paths capstone/tests/run.sh, capstone/mk/stamps.mk

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Why This Matters

make all tells you the build succeeded once. selftest tells you whether the build contract is still honest.

That distinction is why the course keeps returning to selftest when it talks about proof, not only compilation. When you need that proof preserved as a review bundle, use make PROGRAM=reproducible-research/deep-dive-make capstone-verify-report and read the published Capstone Proof Checklist.

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Best Reading Order

  1. capstone/Makefile
  2. capstone/tests/run.sh
  3. this page
  4. make PROGRAM=reproducible-research/deep-dive-make test

That order keeps the learner anchored in contract, then harness, then executed proof.

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Best Companion Pages

Use these pages with this map:

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