validate-clap

name	validate-clap
description	Validate CLAP plugins (.clap files) using clap-validator. Use when user says "validate CLAP", "run clap-validator", "test the .clap", or "test CLAP plugin". Does NOT validate .vst3 or .component — use the appropriate validators.
compatibility	macOS, Windows, Linux. Requires clap-validator binary (pre-built or via Rust/cargo).
metadata	{"author":"Oli Larkin","version":"0.0.1"}

CLAP Validator

Plugin Install Locations

clap-validator accepts a direct path, but these are the standard install locations where hosts scan for CLAP plugins.

Platform	User Location	System Location
macOS	~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/CLAP/	/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/CLAP/
Windows	%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Common\CLAP\	C:\Program Files\Common Files\CLAP\
Linux	~/.clap/	/usr/lib/clap/ or /usr/local/lib/clap/

Instructions

1. Install clap-validator (see Installation below)
2. Locate the built .clap plugin bundle (in your build output directory or one of the standard locations above)
3. Run: clap-validator validate /path/to/plugin.clap
4. To see only failures: clap-validator validate --only-failed /path/to/plugin.clap
5. For debugging, run a specific test in-process: clap-validator validate --in-process --test-filter <test> /path/to/plugin.clap

Installation

Option 1: Download Pre-built Binary

1. Download from GitHub Releases
2. Extract and place in your PATH:
   • macOS / Linux: /usr/local/bin/
   • Windows: Add to PATH or place in project directory

macOS only: Builds are unsigned. Remove the quarantine attribute:

xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /path/to/clap-validator

Option 2: Build from Source

# Requires Rust (all platforms)
cargo install clap-validator

# Or build from source
git clone https://github.com/free-audio/clap-validator
cd clap-validator
cargo build --release
# Binary at target/release/clap-validator (macOS/Linux)
# Binary at target\release\clap-validator.exe (Windows)

Basic Usage

# Validate a CLAP plugin
clap-validator validate /path/to/plugin.clap

# Show only failed tests
clap-validator validate --only-failed /path/to/plugin.clap

# Validate multiple plugins
clap-validator validate /path/to/plugin1.clap /path/to/plugin2.clap

Commands

# List available tests
clap-validator list tests

# List tests with descriptions (JSON format)
clap-validator list tests --json

# List all installed CLAP plugins
clap-validator list plugins

# List installed plugins (JSON format)
clap-validator list plugins --json

# List presets for specific plugins
clap-validator list presets /path/to/plugin.clap

# List presets for all installed plugins
clap-validator list presets

# List presets (JSON format)
clap-validator list presets --json

Validation Options

# Show only failed and warning tests
clap-validator validate --only-failed /path/to/plugin.clap

# Run tests in current process (for debugging, allows debugger attachment)
clap-validator validate --in-process /path/to/plugin.clap

# Filter to specific test (case-insensitive regex)
clap-validator validate --test-filter <REGEX> /path/to/plugin.clap

# Invert filter — skip matching tests instead
clap-validator validate --test-filter <REGEX> --invert-filter /path/to/plugin.clap

# Only validate a specific plugin ID from a multi-plugin library
clap-validator validate --plugin-id <PLUGIN_ID> /path/to/plugin.clap

# Disable parallel test execution (sequential, keeps output in order)
clap-validator validate --no-parallel /path/to/plugin.clap

# Hide plugin's own output (useful for noisy plugins)
clap-validator validate --hide-output /path/to/plugin.clap

# Output results as JSON
clap-validator validate --json /path/to/plugin.clap

# JSON output showing only failures
clap-validator validate --json --only-failed /path/to/plugin.clap

Verbosity

The top-level -v/--verbosity flag controls the validator's own logging (not the plugin's output):

# Suppress all non-essential output
clap-validator -v quiet validate /path/to/plugin.clap

# Default level
clap-validator -v debug validate /path/to/plugin.clap

# Available levels: quiet, error, warn, info, debug, trace

Debugging Failed Tests

# List available tests
clap-validator list tests

# Run specific test in-process (allows debugger attachment)
clap-validator validate --in-process --test-filter <test-name> /path/to/plugin.clap

# With lldb (macOS/Linux)
lldb -- clap-validator validate --in-process --test-filter <test> /path/to/plugin.clap

# With Visual Studio debugger (Windows) - attach to process or use:
devenv /debugexe clap-validator.exe validate --in-process --test-filter <test> C:\path\to\plugin.clap

Test Categories

Category	Description
Plugin loading	Library symbols, entry point, factory
Descriptors	Plugin ID, name, features, categories
Parameters	Info, ranges, text conversion, automation flags
State	Save/load, empty state handling
Audio processing	Activation, processing, thread safety
Fuzzing	Random parameter values, random audio/MIDI
Presets	Discovery, loading (if supported)

Common Issues

Parameter Test Failures

• Ensure CLAP_PARAM_IS_READONLY is not combined with CLAP_PARAM_IS_AUTOMATABLE
• Check parameter ranges and default values are valid
• Verify text-to-value and value-to-text conversions

State Test Failures

• Ensure clap_plugin_state::load() returns false for empty/invalid state
• Check thread safety in state save/load