gcda2

Gcda2 is not a standard term in the GCC coverage tooling and does not refer to a defined file type or format in the official gcov ecosystem. If you encounter a file or reference named gcda2, it is typically a project-specific convention, a misnaming, or an artifact from a custom workflow rather than part of the canonical gcov data model.

In GCC coverage, the instrumentation produces two kinds of files per source file: a .gcno file created at compile time that encodes the program’s control flow graph, and a .gcda file created at runtime that stores execution counts for that file during a program run. The combination of these files is used by gcov and related tools (such as lcov and genhtml) to produce coverage reports. The standard workflow involves one .gcno and one .gcda pair per source file, per build configuration, unless a project uses more complex setups for multi-run comparisons or modular instrumentation.

Possible interpretations of gcda2 include it being a second coverage data file produced by a custom script to differentiate multiple test runs, a naming convention used for a second module, or simply an erroneous rename of an existing .gcda file. If encountered, it is advisable to consult the project’s documentation or inspect accompanying scripts to determine the intended meaning and how to combine it with other coverage data.

Best practices include adhering to standard naming (baseName.gcno and baseName.gcda), documenting any custom suffix conventions, and using established tools to merge and report coverage data. See also gcno, gcda, gcov, lcov, and genhtml.