<p>The functional tests are part of the test framework used for developing Bitcoin Core.</p>
<p>Developers will regularly run the functional tests, and other tests, when they are working on proposed changes to the code, to validate those changes. Which tests are helpful for that is up to the developer's judgment. Often significant changes will require changes or additions to the test framework too.</p>
<p>When a change is actually proposed, <strong>all</strong> tests (on a variety of platforms) are automatically performed by the CI (Continuous Intgration) infrastructure. Maintainers will not merge changes that do not pass all tests.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-12T19:49:21.323Z
2024-04-12T21:13:14.883Z
2024-04-12T21:13:14.883Z
Pieter Wuille
<p>When should functional tests be run? Or is it always a good time to run functional tests?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-12T16:57:04.133Z
Does this answer your question? [Should I run the tests every time I review an open Bitcoin Core PR?](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/98911/should-i-run-the-tests-every-time-i-review-an-open-bitcoin-core-pr)
Michael Folkson
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-12T18:24:15.963Z
Not really. I would presume that the answer is to run test_runner.py as often as possible; the more the better? And if a test fails, what should I do?
Eoin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-12T19:07:52.857Z
It depends what you're doing. If you aren't changing the code then running the tests repeatedly makes no sense. If you are opening a pull request with a code change in it then you can run the tests on your branch and check they pass before opening the pull request. If you are reviewing someone else's pull request branch then that link answers your question.
Michael Folkson
<bitcoin-core-development><functional-test>
When should Bitcoin Core functional tests be run?
Eoin
# When should Bitcoin Core functional tests be run?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-04-12)

When should functional tests be run? Or is it always a good time to run functional tests?

**Tags:** bitcoin-core-development, functional-test

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Does this answer your question? [Should I run the tests every time I review an open Bitcoin Core PR?](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/98911/should-i-run-the-tests-every-time-i-review-an-open-bitcoin-core-pr)  
> **username_0**: Not really. I would presume that the answer is to run test_runner.py as often as possible; the more the better? And if a test fails, what should I do?  
> **username_1**: It depends what you're doing. If you aren't changing the code then running the tests repeatedly makes no sense. If you are opening a pull request with a code change in it then you can run the tests on your branch and check they pass before opening the pull request. If you are reviewing someone else's pull request branch then that link answers your question.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-04-12. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

The functional tests are part of the test framework used for developing Bitcoin Core.

Developers will regularly run the functional tests, and other tests, when they are working on proposed changes to the code, to validate those changes. Which tests are helpful for that is up to the developer's judgment. Often significant changes will require changes or additions to the test framework too.

When a change is actually proposed, **all** tests (on a variety of platforms) are automatically performed by the CI (Continuous Intgration) infrastructure. Maintainers will not merge changes that do not pass all tests.


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