Installation Guide

covdbg provides code coverage for native Windows applications. This guide covers installation and system requirements.

System Requirements

RequirementMinimum
Operating SystemWindows 10 or Windows 11
Architecturex64
Debug SymbolsPDB files required for coverage

Installation Methods

Installer (Recommended)

The installer performs a machine-wide installation to C:\Program Files\Liasoft\covdbg and automatically configures the system PATH. This is the recommended method for most users.

  1. Download the installer from covdbg.com/download/latest/installer.msi
  2. Run the installer (requires Administrator privileges)
  3. Follow the installation wizard
  4. Open a new terminal and verify:
covdbg --helpCode language: PowerShell (powershell)

Note: Existing terminal sessions need to be restarted to pick up the updated PATH.

Portable Installation

The ZIP archive provides a portable installation that can be placed anywhere and does not modify system settings. This is useful for restricted environments or when you want to run multiple versions side-by-side.

  1. Download the ZIP archive from covdbg.com/download/latest/portable.zip
  2. Extract to a directory of your choice (e.g., C:\Tools\covdbg)
  3. Add the directory to your PATH manually:
# Temporary: Add to PATH for current session only
$env:PATH += ";C:\Tools\covdbg"

# Permanent: Add to user PATH (no admin required)
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", $env:PATH + ";C:\Tools\covdbg", "User")Code language: PowerShell (powershell)
  1. Open a new terminal and verify:
covdbg --helpCode language: PowerShell (powershell)

Components

The installation includes:

ComponentDescription
covdbg.exeCommand-line coverage tool

Application Data Directory

covdbg stores runtime data in the application data directory:

Default location: %APPDATA%\Liasoft\covdbg

PathDescription
Logs/covdbg.logRotating log files (DEBUG level and above)
license_cache.jsonCached license validation to reduce server calls

You can override this location via --appdata or COVDBG_APPDATA environment variable.

License Activation

covdbg requires a license for full functionality. Without a license, covdbg runs in evaluation mode with limited coverage output.

Local development: Point to your license file:

$env:COVDBG_LICENSE_FILE = "C:\path\to\license.jwt"Code language: PowerShell (powershell)

CI/CD: Use the JWT token directly (store as a secret):

$env:COVDBG_LICENSE = "<your-jwt-token>"Code language: PowerShell (powershell)

Visit our Pricing page to purchase a license or apply for our free Open Source Program. See the CLI Reference for all license configuration options.

Verifying Installation

Run a quick test to verify everything works:

# Check version and help
covdbg --help

# Test with a simple program (if you have one built with PDBs)
$env:COVDBG_LICENSE = "<your-jwt>"
covdbg --output "test.covdb" "your_program.exe"Code language: PowerShell (powershell)

Updating covdbg

Installation: Download and run the latest installer. It will automatically upgrade the existing installation.

Portable Installation: Extract the new version over the existing directory, replacing all files.

Uninstalling

Installation

Use Windows “Add or Remove Programs” to uninstall covdbg.

Manual Installation

  1. Remove the installation directory
  2. Remove covdbg from your PATH

Next Steps