Tarpaulin
Tarpaulin: A focused Rust CLI for line coverage across tests, examples, benchmarks, and doctests. Ranked #11 of 27 in Test Coverage Tools by our editors (6.2/10); pricing: Open source; best for rust projects needing simple CI coverage.
At a glance
- Editor score6.2 / 10
- PricingOpen source
- Best forRust projects needing simple CI coverage
- Paid fromNone
- Coverage typesline
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Covers tests, doctests, benchmarks, examples, libraries, and binaries
- Supports Ptrace and LLVM engines with five report output formats
- Works with major CI services, Docker, Codecov, and Coveralls
Where it doesn't
- Coverage measurement is limited to line coverage
- Rust is the supported programming language
- Distributed as a Cargo CLI rather than a hosted SaaS product
Our verdict on Tarpaulin
Tarpaulin is an open-source command-line coverage tool for Rust projects. It integrates with Cargo and is designed for developers and teams that want coverage runs locally or in continuous-integration workflows. Its scope includes tests, doctests, benchmarks, examples, libraries, and binaries, making it a practical fit for Rust repositories with more than conventional unit tests. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and supports self-hosted execution through its local CLI and Docker options.
Tarpaulin fits established CI workflows through integrations with GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Travis CI, CircleCI, Jenkins, Codeship, and Azure Pipelines. Coverage results can be uploaded to Codecov or Coveralls, while output is available as JSON, stdout, XML, HTML, or LCOV. TOML configuration supports repeatable coverage runs, and inclusion and exclusion rules help teams focus measurement on the code they want to assess. Minimum coverage threshold checks and coverage gates support automated quality controls in CI.
The product’s standout strength is breadth within a Rust-focused workflow: it covers several Cargo-managed execution targets and offers both Ptrace and LLVM coverage engines. That focus also defines its limits. Verified coverage depth is limited to line coverage, and the product is a command-line tool rather than a hosted SaaS platform. Rust teams seeking configurable local or CI coverage should consider Tarpaulin, especially when Docker, report-format flexibility, or Codecov and Coveralls uploads matter. Teams needing broader coverage types or a hosted, language-agnostic service should choose an alternative.
Tarpaulin pricing
Tarpaulin fact sheet
| Free plan | Not verified |
|---|---|
| Paid from | None |
| Coverage types | line |
| Supported languages | Rust |
| Report formats | JSON, stdout, XML, HTML, LCOV |
| Pull-request annotations | Yes |
| Self-hosted option | Yes |
| Historical trends | Yes |
| Coverage gates | Yes |
| Deployment | Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 10 integrations: Codecov, Coveralls, Travis CI, CircleCI, Jenkins, Codeship … |
| Pricing | Open source |
| Website | github.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Tarpaulin integrations
Tarpaulin lists 10 integrations on its own site.
- Codecov
- Coveralls
- Travis CI
- CircleCI
- Jenkins
- Codeship
- Azure Pipelines
- GitHub Actions
- GitLab CI
- Docker
Alternatives to Tarpaulin
- CodecovA broad CI coverage platform with strong pull-request checks, analytics, and integrations.10.0
- CoverallsA mature coverage service for multi-language teams needing CI and pull-request visibility.9.2
- ReportGeneratorA flexible command-line coverage reporter with strong aggregation and history features.7.7
See all Tarpaulin alternatives →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026
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