This page introduces static code analysis using coding standards and explains how our solution SYNtacTICS can improve the quality of your code.
Coding standards are language-specific 'rules' that significantly reduce the chance for developers to introduce errors. Coding standards do not uncover existing problems, rather they actually prevent errors from occurring. Common bugs in programs can be detected much earlier or can even be completely avoided. During development, coding standards help engineers produce high-quality code and understand and use the code of their colleagues. But also they considerably enhance the long-term maintainability and reusability of the final product. Such a bug-control practice in the development process improves quality while reducing development time, cost and effort.
Why adopt Coding Standards?
Reduce the likelihood of introducing errors;
Point out some hidden or unexpected errors;
Prevent bugs from populating and colonising your software;
Make code more uniform and easier to read;
Make software easier to maintain;
Increase robustness and reliability;
Conform to your client standards and models;
Check the code delivered by your suppliers;
Train young engineers to good software development.
For the most common languages (C,·C++·, C#, Java) organisations typically have a set of about 100 rules. Fortunately, the compliance to coding standards doesn't necessarily have to be enforced by code reviews. Most of the rules can be reviewed automatically using specific tools such as Parasoft CodeWizard. Using an automated solution to verify coding standards allows you to focus your code reviews on the technical issues that really count, or perhaps to eliminate reviews altogether.
Most tools available on the market are able to review about 60 to 80 per cent of the most commonly used conventions. Using the latest compiler technology, our tool TICS increases this percentage by about 50 per cent. Even better, this tool can correct automatically up to 90 per cent of the rule violations found, thus reducing significantly the 'manual' effort needed to achieve good code quality. Developers spend less time looking for and resolving bugs, and the programs of their colleagues are much easier to understand.
SYNtacTICS is the solution that combines this tool with our expertise in software processes and quality assurance. In addition to making your developers more productive, it also provides managers and QA analysts with a solution to continuously monitor the coding process of your teams thanks to a quality database easily accessible via intranet. Metrics describing the number of violations per module provide insight on the quality of code developed by a project. Easy-to-read graphs of these metrics over time allow you to detect changes that have an impact on code quality and act quickly to correct problems, as well as to identify long-term trends. At any time, managers and QA analysts are informed on the quality of the system as a whole and can compare quality between modules.
What can SYNSPACE do for you?
Support your organisation in defining its own coding standards;
Help you evaluate and choose the tool best suited to your needs (be it SYNtacTICS or another code checking tool);
Help you in introducing, installing, configuring, providing training for your selected tool solution;
Tailor SYNtacTICS and/or Parasoft CodeWizard ·to your specific needs and rules;
Support you in the integration of static code analysis tools and automated error prevention in your organisation's software development process;
