Testing Simulink Models

Requires Simulink Test and R2023a or later. The requirement-driven entry point also requires Requirements Toolbox. The coverage workflow also requires Simulink Coverage. If Simulink Test is unavailable, use simulating-simulink-models with manual assertions.

When to Use

• Writing pass/fail tests for a Simulink model or subsystem
• Verifying expected behavior against requirements or acceptance criteria
• Creating regression tests to catch future breakage
• Reproducing and validating bug fixes with structured assertions
• Collecting decision coverage metrics
• Authoring persistent tests from linked requirements or a behavioral spec

When NOT to Use

• Building or editing model structure → use building-simulink-models
• Running simulations for data exploration, sweeps, or custom analysis → use simulating-simulink-models
• Querying or resolving parameter values → use model_query_params / model_resolve_params
• Creating or editing requirements → use generate-requirement-drafts
• Injecting faults onto model signals without test authoring → use inject-faults
• FMEA, FHA, FTA, or other safety analysis documents → use manage-safety-analysis
• Simulink Test is not installed → fall back to simulating-simulink-models with manual assertions

Testing Approaches

This skill provides two testing approaches. Choose based on task context:

	Gherkin (model_test)	Simulink Test API (test_create family)
Persistence	Ephemeral — harness discarded after session	Persistent — .mldatx files remain in project
Speed	~3s (draft mode)	~60s (full Simulink Test infrastructure)
Traceability	None	Full requirement linking via .slreqx
Use case	Bug fixes, quick validation, agentic loop	Certification, systematic testing, formal V&V; also takes behavioral specs
Approval needed	No	Yes — engineer reviews test plan before execution
Coverage	coverage parameter ('none' or 'decision')	Via test_run options
Toolbox	Simulink Test	Simulink Test (+ Requirements Toolbox for requirement path)

→ For Gherkin testing, read references/gherkin-based-fast-testing.md → For Simulink Test API authoring (requirements / behavioral spec), read references/simulink-test-authoring.md

Workflow — Gherkin (Quick Validation)

1. Understand the component: Use model_overview and model_read on the target subsystem to identify inputs, outputs, and expected behavior.
2. Write the .feature file: Author a Gherkin test following the syntax in references/gherkin-based-fast-testing.md. Start with one scenario covering the primary nominal case.
3. Cap StopTime before running: Check the model's StopTime with model_query_params. If it is inf (or unset/auto), you MUST pass a finite stop time to model_test — an infinite sim never returns and hangs MATLAB. Pick a finite value that lets the behavior settle (2–30s for a step response).
4. Run in draft mode: Call model_test with draft_mode='true' for rapid iteration (~3s). Fix syntax or signal errors.
5. Run full compilation: Once draft passes, re-run with draft_mode='false' to validate against the actual compiled model (catches type/dimension mismatches).
6. Expand coverage: Add scenarios for edge cases, fault conditions, and boundary behavior. Use coverage='decision' to identify untested branches.

Workflow — Simulink Test API (Persistent)

1. Understand the component: Use model_overview and model_read on the target subsystem to identify inputs, outputs, and expected behavior.
2. Propose test plan → wait for approval: Present what to test, at what scope, and why. Do not call test_create until the engineer approves.
3. Create test cases: Call test_create with the appropriate entry point — component/model only or requirement-driven (RequirementID + ReqSetPath). Pass TestFile as an absolute path under the working folder (never a bare filename — it would land in the skill's scripts/ dir, since that is the project_path). See references/simulink-test-authoring.md for call shapes.
4. Propose test configuration → wait for approval: Present stop time, sim config, signal logging, assessments, and parameter overrides for each test case. Do not call test_edit until the engineer approves. Always set a finite StopTime via test_edit — if the model's StopTime is inf (or unset), the test run never returns and hangs MATLAB. Choose a finite value that lets the behavior settle (2–30s for a step response).
5. Run and report: Call test_run, present pass/fail summary with assessment detail. Engineer decides next steps.

Guardrails

Always

• Inspect model (model_overview / model_read) before writing tests — otherwise you write tests against wrong I/O
• Report failures with assessment names, conditions, and signal summaries — users can't diagnose without detail
• Never run a sim or test with StopTime=inf. Check StopTime before any model_test/test_run; if it is inf or unset, override it with a finite value first. An infinite sim never returns and hangs the MATLAB session (and, in a shared session, every subsequent task).

Never

• Guess pass/fail criteria — ask the user if unclear
• Change MATLAB working directory while a model is open — breaks harness cache

References

• references/gherkin-based-fast-testing.md — Gherkin syntax, draft mode, coverage, Simscape constraints
• references/simulink-test-authoring.md — API manual: setup, constraints, test_create entry shapes, edit/read/run signatures
• references/assessment-format.md — LoggedSignals and Assessments struct formats
• assets/test-structure-template.md — Test structure proposal template (requirement-driven path)
• assets/test-config-template.md — Test configuration proposal template (requirement-driven path)

---

Copyright 2026 The MathWorks, Inc.

---