README.md

SIMD Operations Example with Criterion Testing

This project demonstrates the use of Single Instruction, Multiple Data (SIMD) operations for Intel/AMD (using SSE) and ARM (using NEON) architectures in C, along with unit testing using the Criterion testing framework.

Project Structure

• simd_operations.c and simd_operations.h: Contain the implementation of SIMD operations.
• test_simd_operations.c: Contains the Criterion-based unit tests for the SIMD operations.
• Makefile (Optional): Can be used to automate compilation and testing.

Installing Criterion

Criterion is a cross-platform C and C++ testing framework. Follow these steps to install Criterion:

On Linux

1. Using a Package Manager (Debian/Ubuntu):

   sudo apt-get install libcriterion-dev

2. From Source:

   • Install the necessary dependencies.
   • Clone the Criterion repository:

     git clone --recursive https://github.com/Snaipe/Criterion.git

   • Build and install:

     mkdir Criterion/build && cd Criterion/build
     cmake ..
     make
     sudo make install

Compiling the SIMD Operations

gcc -o test_simd test_simd_operations.c simd_operations.c -lcriterion

Writing and Running Tests

1. Write Tests:

   • Place your tests in test_simd_operations.c. Use the Criterion API to define test cases.

2. Compile the Tests:

   • Ensure Criterion is installed and accessible to your compiler.
   • Compile the test file along with the SIMD operation sources and link against Criterion:

     gcc -o test_simd test_simd_operations.c simd_operations.c -lcriterion

3. Run the Tests:

   • Execute the compiled test binary:

     ./test_simd

Note on SIMD Architectures

• This example includes code paths for both SSE (Intel/AMD) and NEON (ARM). Ensure your compiler supports the SIMD instructions for your target architecture.
• Use appropriate compiler flags if necessary, e.g., -msse2 for SSE2 or -march=armv8-a+simd for ARM NEON.

For more detailed information about Criterion and its usage, refer to the official Criterion documentation.