Bug#901068: dpkg-checkbuilddeps: split Build-Depends into Build-Depends + Test-Depends

[Xavier Guimard]

Package: dpkg-dev
Version: 1.19.0.5
Severity: wishlist

Hi all,

today when a build-dependency has a RC bug, it affects current package
even if this dependency is used only for tests. I propose to add a
"Test-Depends" field in debian/control. Packages mentionned in it will
stay required but a RC bug will not affect packages that use it only for
tests.

In the same idea, it could be interesting to add also a
"Test-Recommends" field: packages mentionned in it will be required if
available in this distribution but build process will even be launched
if not. Of course, corresponding tests have to detect that package is
missing and skip test (skip mechanism used in Perl Test::More for
example). So a package removed for any reason will not affect packages
that optionaly use it. Example: a suggested package that is also used in
a test.

Regards,
Xavier

-- System Information:
Debian Release: buster/sid
  APT prefers testing
  APT policy: (600, 'testing'), (50, 'unstable')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Foreign Architectures: i386

Kernel: Linux 4.14.0-3-amd64 (SMP w/2 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=fr_FR.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=fr_FR.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8), LANGUAGE= (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system)
LSM: AppArmor: enabled

Versions of packages dpkg-dev depends on:
ii  binutils      2.30-21
ii  bzip2         1.0.6-8.1
ii  libdpkg-perl  1.19.0.5
ii  make          4.1-9.1
ii  patch         2.7.6-2
ii  perl          5.26.2-5
ii  tar           1.30+dfsg-2
ii  xz-utils      5.2.2-1.3

Versions of packages dpkg-dev recommends:
ii  build-essential          12.5
ii  fakeroot                 1.22-2
ii  gcc [c-compiler]         4:7.3.0-3
ii  gcc-7 [c-compiler]       7.3.0-21
ii  gnupg                    2.2.5-1
ii  gnupg2                   2.2.5-1
ii  gpgv                     2.2.5-1
ii  libalgorithm-merge-perl  0.08-3

Versions of packages dpkg-dev suggests:
ii  debian-keyring  2018.06.04

-- no debconf information