trace-doc

A Rust-based framework for compile-time, zero-cost traceability and specification modeling.

Overview

trace-doc enables you to model requirements, realizations, and tests directly in Rust's type system. It provides zero-runtime-cost traceability for safety-critical and high-assurance software.

Features

• Compile-time traceability: Link requirements, realizations, and tests using Rust traits.
• Zero runtime cost: All traceability is enforced at compile time.

Future Feature ideas

• Artifact Model Extraction & Visualization: Extract types and their trait implementations (e.g., using rustdoc's JSON format) to reconstruct the artifact model. This will enable generating a complete traceability graph of requirements, realizations, and tests.
• Rustdoc Integration: Display the reconstructed artifact model and traceability graph directly in the generated rustdoc HTML, making documentation interactive and navigable.
• Sphinx-Needs Export: Export requirements, realizations, tests, and interfaces to Sphinx-Needs for integration with Sphinx-based documentation workflows.

Example

/// The system shall be able to calculate the mathematical constant π.
pub struct ReqCalculatePI;
impl Artifact for ReqCalculatePI {
    const STATUS: Status = Status::Accepted;
}
impl Requirement for ReqCalculatePI {
    const TITLE: &str = "Calculate mathematical constant π";
}

/// This realization implements the calculation of π.
pub struct PICalculation; // implements pub fn calculate_pi() -> f64
impl Artifact for PICalculation {}
impl Realization for PICalculation {}
impl Realizes<ReqCalculatePI> for PICalculation {}
impl PICalculation {
    /// Calculates PI
    pub fn calculate_pi() -> f64 {
        // let's cheat a bit and return the PI constant directly for simplicity
        std::f64::consts::PI
    }
}

How to Use

1. Model your requirements, realizations, and tests as Rust types and traits.
2. Use the provided traits to link them (e.g., Realizes, Tests).
3. Build your project as usual. The Rust compiler enforces traceability at compile time.

Related Traceability Tools

mantra: An alternative approach to requirement tracing that uses string-based requirement IDs with automatic source code scanning and database-backed reporting.