c8 vs Coverage.py
c8
github.comCoverage.py
coverage.readthedocs.ioSide by side
| Figure | c8 | Coverage.py |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Test Coverage Tools | 7.7 (#11) | 8.9 (#2) |
| Configuration | c8 accepts command-line flags, a c8 section in package.json, or a JSON configuration file. | Settings can live in .coveragerc, TOML, setup.cfg, tox.ini, or pyproject.toml files. |
| Installation | The README shows installing c8 globally with npm and running it with a Node.js script. | The documented installation command is `python3 -m pip install coverage`. |
| License | The repository identifies its license as ISC. | Coverage.py is licensed under the Apache 2.0 License. |
| Purpose | c8 produces code coverage reports using Node.js’ built-in V8 coverage. | Coverage.py measures which parts of Python programs ran and identifies executable code that did not run, commonly to gauge test effectiveness. |
| Report formats | The README documents Istanbul-compatible reporters and an experimental Monocart option with v8 and console-details reporters. | Reports can be emitted as text, HTML, XML, LCOV, or JSON. |
| Security | The repository has a Security and quality section, but the opened security page did not expose specific security or compliance claims. | The project directs vulnerability reports to Tidelift, which it says will coordinate the fix and disclosure. |
Plans
In their own words
Coverage.py
Coverage.py measures which parts of Python programs run and highlights executable code that remains untouched, helping developers assess what their tests exercise. It measures statement coverage by default and can also track branch coverage. Reports are available as text, HTML, XML, LCOV, and JSON. Dynamic contexts can associate lines of execution with the test function that ran them. Coverage.py can run test suites through their usual command; pytest-cov is available but the documentation says most users do not need it. Third-party plugins can extend measurement to non-Python files, such as connecting executed Python to Django templates. Data is stored in a SQLite database, and advanced use can rely on its API. The current documentation lists Python 3.10 through 3.15 rc2 and PyPy3 versions 3.10 and 3.11. The tool provides ctrace, pytrace, and sysmon measurement cores; sysmon is faster for simple line and branch coverage but lacks support for dynamic contexts and plugins. Coverage.py is licensed under Apache 2.0 and runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, with self-hosting available. It is free.