Decoding Static Code AnalysisPosted by alvina on August 31st, 2017 What is static code analysis? Static code analysis, sometimes called as source code analysis, is slowly but surely becoming a buzzword in the software industry. While developers have always been doing code analysis it was mostly done at run time. In other words, a program is written and executed to see if it produces the required results. If any errors are thrown up, then the code is analyzed to see what went wrong, where and why. If a program does not get compiled at all, the code is analyzed to place the source of the compiler errors. A static code analysis, however, works on the principle of analyzing code without actually executing it. This is extremely useful in finding issues related to coding guidelines, code structures, potential security vulnerabilities, etc. These are costly errors that developers make that can lie dormant for long and spring up at the most inopportune of times. Errors of these sorts can prove to be time-consuming to figure out at later stages. Time is money and fixing these errors in later stages will prove costly too. How is it done? There are a wide variety of tools. Depending on the programming language used, the static code analysis tool can be integrated into the environment itself. This enables picking up any potential issues early on. The tools or related licenses can be purchased and used when suitable by the static code analysis security team of the organization. To get the best results out of the tool, it is best to integrate it into the built environment itself to make it easy and seamless. The developers can then be given basic training on what to look for and how to work upon. Most tools come with comprehensive documentation and training options. It is easy to get used to them over minimal time frames. Over a period of time, the code quality will improve by leaps and bounds. Benefits The static code analysis benefits are as listed below:
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