---
name: "prove6"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "prove6"
version: "0.0.12-10"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/prove6"
---

# prove6(1)

Run tests through a TAP harness.

## NAME

prove6 - Run tests through a TAP harness.

## USAGE

```
prove6 [options] [files or directories]
```

Boolean options:

```
-v,  --verbose      Print all test lines.
-l,  --lib          Add 'lib' to the path for your tests (-Ilib).
     --shuffle      Run the tests in random order.
     --ignore-exit  Ignore exit status from test scripts.
     --reverse      Run the tests in reverse order.
-q,  --quiet        Suppress some test output while running tests.
-Q,  --QUIET        Only print summary results.
     --timer        Print elapsed time after each test.
     --trap         Trap Ctrl-C and print summary on interrupt.
     --help         Display this help
     --version      Display the version
```

Options that take arguments:

```
-I,  --incdir       Library paths to include.
-e,  --exec         Interpreter to run the tests ('' for compiled
                    tests.)
     --ext          Set the extensions for tests (default <t rakutest t6>)
     --harness      Define test harness to use.  See TAP::Harness.
     --reporter     Result reporter to use. See REPORTERS.
-j,  --jobs         Run N test jobs in parallel (try 9.)
     --err=stderr   Direct the test's $*ERR to the harness' $*ERR.
     --err=merge    Merge test scripts' $*ERR with their $*OUT.
     --err=ignore   Ignore test script' $*ERR.
```

## NOTES

## Default Test Directory

If no files or directories are supplied, **prove6** looks for all files matching the pattern **t/\*.t**.

## Colored Test Output

Colored test output is the default, but if output is not to a terminal, color is disabled.

Color support requires **Terminal::ANSIColor** on Unix-like platforms. If the necessary module is not installed colored output will not be available.

## Exit Code

If the tests fail **prove6** will exit with non-zero status.

## -e

Normally you can just pass a list of Perl 6 tests and the harness will know how to execute them. However, if your tests are not written in Perl 6 or if you want all tests invoked exactly the same way, use the **-e** switch:

```
prove6 -e='/usr/bin/ruby -w' t/
prove6 -e='/usr/bin/perl -Tw -mstrict -Ilib' t/
prove6 -e='/path/to/my/customer/exec'
```

## --err

- •

  **--err=stderr**Direct the test's $\*ERR to the harness' $\*ERR.This is the default behavior.

- •

  **--err=merge**If you need to make sure your diagnostics are displayed in the correct order relative to test results you can use the **--err=merge** option to merge the test scripts' $\*ERR into their $\*OUT.This guarantees that $\*OUT (where the test results appear) and $\*ERR (where the diagnostics appear) will stay in sync. The harness will display any diagnostics your tests emit on $\*ERR.Caveat: this is a bit of a kludge. In particular note that if anything that appears on $\*ERR looks like a test result the test harness will get confused. Use this option only if you understand the consequences and can live with the risk.PS: Currently not supported.

- •

  **--err=ignore**Ignore the test script' $\*ERR

## --trap

The **--trap** option will attempt to trap SIGINT (Ctrl-C) during a test run and display the test summary even if the run is interrupted

## $\*REPO

**prove6** introduces a separation between "options passed to the perl which runs prove" and "options passed to the perl which runs tests"; this distinction is by design. Thus the perl which is running a test starts with the default **$\*REPO**. Additional library directories can be added via the **PERL6LIB** environment variable, via -Ifoo in **PERL6OPT** or via the **-Ilib** option to **prove6**.