YAML Manifest Reference

A CruciHiL test suite is defined by a YAML manifest file. One YAML file = one test suite. The manifest declares metadata, hardware requirements, DBC paths, default values, and per-test configurations. Test logic lives in Python functions referenced from the manifest.

Full example

# tests/suites/engine_validation.yaml
suite:
  name: engine_validation
  version: "1.0.0"
  description: "Engine ECU validation — smoke and regression suite"

hardware:
  required:
    - can0
  optional:
    - eth0

definitions:
  can_dbc: "defs/vehicle_can.dbc"

defaults:
  hw_variants: [Virtual_Sim]
  suite_types: [smoke, regression]
  timeout: 5.0
  enabled: true

tests:

  - id: engine_startup
    name: "ECU reaches idle RPM after ignition"
    suite_types: [smoke, regression]
    priority: critical
    tags: [engine, startup]
    requirements: [REQ-ENG-001]
    ticket: ENG-412
    setup:
      - sim.set:   { signal: "EngineData.RPM", value: 1500.0 }
      - sim.start: EngineData
    teardown:
      - sim.stop: EngineData
    module: tests.suites.engine_functions
    function: test_engine_startup
    params:
      expected_rpm: 800.0
      startup_timeout: 2.0

  - id: vehicle_speed_disabled
    name: "Vehicle speed range check"
    enabled: false
    skip_reason: "Blocked on fw-412 — signal not wired in virtual ECU"
    module: tests.suites.engine_functions
    function: test_vehicle_speed_range

  - id: depends_on_startup
    name: "Speed check after engine startup"
    depends_on: [engine_startup]
    setup:
      - sim.set:   { signal: "VehicleSpeed.Speed", value: 80.0 }
      - sim.start: VehicleSpeed
    teardown:
      - sim.stop: VehicleSpeed
    module: tests.suites.engine_functions
    function: test_vehicle_speed_range
    params:
      max_speed: 327.0
      timeout: 1.0

`suite` — suite metadata

suite.name

string

required

Suite identifier (snake_case). Used in reports and database storage.

suite.version

string

default:"\"1.0.0\""

Suite version string. Included in JUnit XML output.

suite.description

string

Human-readable description of what the suite validates.

`hardware` — hardware requirements

Checked at runner startup. Missing required hardware marks the entire run as blocked — not failed.

hardware.required

list[string]

Hardware capabilities that must be present (e.g. can0, eth0). These must match interface keys defined in [rig.can.*] and [rig.ethernet.*] in the rig TOML.

hardware.optional

list[string]

Hardware that is used if present but not required for the run to proceed.

`definitions` — DBC files

definitions:
  can_dbc: "defs/vehicle_can.dbc"
  eth_dbc: "defs/chassis.dbc"

definitions.can_dbc

string

Path to the CAN DBC file. Relative to the project root (the directory two levels up from the suite YAML, or the current working directory).

definitions.eth_dbc

string

Path to the Ethernet DBC/descriptor file.

`defaults` — suite-level defaults

Values declared here are inherited by every test unless the test overrides them.

defaults.hw_variants

list[string]

default:"[]"

Which hardware variants this suite targets. Tests not matching the active rig’s variant are skipped. Use the rig name field from the TOML as the variant string.

defaults.suite_types

list[string]

default:"[\"regression\"]"

Default suite types (e.g. smoke, regression). Used by crucihil run --suite-type to filter tests.

defaults.timeout

float

default:"30.0"

Default test timeout in seconds. Individual tests override this.

defaults.retries

integer

default:"0"

Default number of retries on test failure.

defaults.setup_timeout

float

default:"15.0"

Default timeout for setup and teardown steps.

defaults.enabled

boolean

default:"true"

Whether tests are enabled by default.

`tests` — per-test configuration

Each entry in tests: defines one test.

Identity and display

string

required

Unique test identifier within the suite (snake_case). Used in depends_on, result records, and describe_failure MCP tool.

name

string

Human-readable test name. Shown in reports and dashboard.

description

string

Longer description of what the test verifies.

Targeting

enabled

boolean

default:"true"

Set to false to skip the test. Include skip_reason to explain why.

skip_reason

string

Human-readable reason for disabling the test. Shown in reports.

hw_variants

list[string]

Hardware variants this test applies to. Inherits from defaults.hw_variants if not set. A test is only run when the active rig’s name matches one of these variants.

suite_types

list[string]

Suite types this test belongs to. Inherits from defaults.suite_types. Used with crucihil run --suite-type smoke to run only smoke tests.

priority

string

default:"\"medium\""

Test priority. One of: critical, high, medium, low. Shown in reports; does not affect execution order (use depends_on for ordering).

Scheduling

timeout

float

default:"30.0"

Test timeout in seconds. If the test function does not complete within this time, it is marked error.

depends_on

list[string]

List of test IDs that must pass before this test runs. If any dependency fails or is blocked, this test is skipped.

repeat

integer

default:"1"

Number of times to run this test. Useful for flakiness detection.

Traceability

Setup and teardown

Setup and teardown steps run before and after the test function respectively. Teardown always runs, even if the test fails (Rule R8).

setup:
  - sim.set:   { signal: "EngineData.RPM", value: 1500.0 }
  - sim.start: EngineData
  - power.on:  ecu_main
  - gpio.set:  { pin: ignition_enable, value: true }

teardown:
  - sim.stop:  EngineData
  - power.off: ecu_main

Available setup actions:

Action	Params	Description
`sim.set`	`signal`, `value`	Set a simulated signal value
`sim.start`	`target` (message name)	Start BSE scheduling for a message
`sim.stop`	`target` (message name)	Stop BSE scheduling for a message
`sim.start_all`	—	Start all scheduled messages
`power.on`	`target` (rail name)	Turn on a power rail
`power.off`	`target` (rail name)	Turn off a power rail
`gpio.set`	`pin`, `value`	Set a GPIO output pin

Fault injection

Faults declared here are automatically injected around the test and cleaned up after:

faults:
  - can_dropout: { arb_id: 0x200, duration: 2.0 }
  - power_cycle: { rail: ecu_main, off_duration: 0.1 }

Available fault types:

Type	Params	Description
`can_dropout`	`arb_id`, `duration`	Suppress TX and RX of a specific CAN ID
`can_noise`	`arb_id`, `bit_error_rate`	Inject random bit errors into a CAN message
`power_cycle`	`rail`, `off_duration`	Power-cycle a rail
`gpio_stuck`	`pin`, `value`, `duration`	Hold a GPIO pin at a fixed value

Signal recording

record:
  signals:
    - EngineData.RPM
    - VehicleSpeed.Speed
    - BrakeStatus.Pressure

record.signals

list[string]

Signals to capture during the test. Recorded as time-value pairs. Available in results detail and via get_signal_trace MCP tool.

Python implementation

module

string

Dotted Python module path containing the test function (e.g. tests.suites.engine_functions). Resolved against sys.path.

function

string

Name of the async Python function to call (e.g. test_engine_startup).

params

dict

Keyword arguments forwarded to the test function. The function must accept these as named parameters in addition to rig: Rig.

params:
  expected_rpm: 800.0
  timeout: 2.0

async def test_engine_startup(rig: Rig, expected_rpm: float, timeout: float):
    ...

Running only a subset of tests

# By tag
crucihil run --suite suites/regression.yaml --rig rigs/virtual.toml --tags engine

# By suite type
crucihil run --suite suites/regression.yaml --rig rigs/virtual.toml --suite-type smoke

# Combine
crucihil run --suite suites/regression.yaml --rig rigs/virtual.toml \
  --tags engine,startup --suite-type smoke

​Full example

​suite — suite metadata

​hardware — hardware requirements

​definitions — DBC files

​defaults — suite-level defaults

​tests — per-test configuration

​Identity and display

​Targeting

​Scheduling

​Traceability

​Setup and teardown

​Fault injection

​Signal recording

​Python implementation

​Running only a subset of tests

​See also

Full example

`suite` — suite metadata

`hardware` — hardware requirements

`definitions` — DBC files

`defaults` — suite-level defaults

`tests` — per-test configuration

Identity and display

Targeting

Scheduling

Traceability

Setup and teardown

Fault injection

Signal recording

Python implementation

Running only a subset of tests

See also