Static analysis helps teams that are under tremendous pressure to release high-quality releases on time, meet coding and compliance standards, and never have bugs... static analysis helps.
This is why development teams are using static analysis/source code analysis tools. This article will discuss static analysis, the advantages of using a static code analyzer, and the limitations of static analysis.
What is static analysis?
Static analysis is a debugging method that automatically checks the source code without executing the program. This gives developers visibility into their codebase and helps ensure it is compliant, secure, and reliable.
What is static code analysis?
Static code analysis refers to what a static analysis tool does by analyzing a set of code based on a set (or sets) of coding rules.
Static code analysis is used interchangeably with static analysis and is also used with source code analysis.
Static code analysis can address weaknesses in source code that could lead to vulnerabilities. Of course, this can also be achieved through manual source code review. But it’s more efficient to use automated tools.
Static analysis is often used to comply with coding guidelines such as MISRA. It is also commonly used to comply with industry standards such as ISO 26262.
When to use a static code analyzer/source code analysis tool to perform static analysis?
Static code analysis is performed early in development, before software testing begins. For enterprises practicing DevOps, static code analysis is usually performed during the "create" phase.
Static code analysis also supports DevOps by creating automated feedback loops. Developers will know earlier if there are problems with their code and it will be easier to fix them.
Static analysis and dynamic analysis
So, what is the difference between static analysis and dynamic analysis?
Both types of code analysis are used to detect defects, but they differ greatly in how they find defects during the development lifecycle.
Static analysis and dynamic analysis
Static analysis identifies defects before running a program (such as during coding and unit testing).
Dynamic code analysis identifies defects after running the program (for example, during unit testing). However, some coding errors may not be discovered during unit testing. Therefore, dynamic testing may miss defects that static code analysis can find.
What are the limitations of static code analyzers/static analysis tools?
Static code analysis serves a specific purpose at a specific stage of development, but it also has certain limitations.
Unable to understand developer intent
int calculateArea(int length, int width){return (length + width);}
Static analysis tools detect possible overflow issues in this calculation, but cannot determine whether the function's logic meets the intended functionality!
Rules that cannot be executed statically
Some coding rules rely on external documentation or are open to subjective interpretation. (These rules cannot be enforced in static analysis because they require external information or involve subjective judgment.)
For example:
CERT-C MSC04: Use comments consistently and in a readable manner.
Possible defects that lead to false positives and false negatives
In some cases, tools will only report possible defects.
int divide(void){int x;if(foo()){x = 0;}else{x = 5;}return (10/x);}
If you know nothing about function foo(), you cannot determine the value of x.
The outcome is uncertain. This means that the tool may report defects that do not actually exist (false positives), or it may fail to report defects that really do exist (false negatives).
What are the advantages of static analysis tools?
Static analysis tools have many advantages – especially when you need to comply with industry standards.
A good static code analysis tool provides speed, depth, and accuracy.
speed
Manual code review takes a lot of time, automated tools are much faster.
Static code inspection can solve problems early in development because it can pinpoint errors in the code. Therefore, you can fix these errors faster. Furthermore, coding errors are discovered earlier and are less expensive to fix.
depth
Tests cannot cover all possible code execution paths. But static code analyzers can.
Static code analyzers inspect code during the build process. Based on the rules you apply, you'll get in-depth analysis of where potential problems may exist in your code.
The image below is an example of deep code analysis in Helix QAC .
accuracy
Manually performing source code reviews is prone to human error, but automated tools are not.
Automated tools scan every line of code to identify potential problems. This helps you ensure that high-quality code is in place before testing begins. After all, when you need to adhere to coding standards , quality is key.
How can static analysis and static code analyzers help developers achieve shift left?
Static analysis is an important technique for ensuring that software applications are reliable, secure, and maintainable. It helps developers detect and fix issues early, improve code quality, enhance security, ensure compliance and increase efficiency. Using static analysis tools, developers can build high-quality software, reduce the risk of security vulnerabilities, and minimize the time and effort spent debugging and fixing issues.
The term “shift left” refers to the integration of automated software testing and analysis tools early in the software development life cycle (SDLC). The traditional approach is to perform testing and analysis after writing the code. The result of this is that you can only solve the problem reactively. By employing shift-left, developers can catch problems before they become big problems, thus reducing the amount of debugging and maintenance effort. This is especially important in agile development, where frequently changing and updating code can create many problems that need to be solved.
A key advantage of static analysis is that it saves time and effort in debugging and testing. By identifying potential issues early in development, you can resolve them before they become more difficult (and expensive) to fix. You also get higher quality applications because they become more reliable and easier to maintain over the long term. Not only that, but it prevents problems from spreading throughout the code base and becoming harder to identify and fix at a later stage.
The benefits of using static analysis for shift left include:
-
Catch problems early. By integrating static analysis into the development process, developers can identify issues early so they can be resolved before they become big problems. This reduces debugging and maintenance efforts and ensures code is reliable and secure;
-
save costs. Addressing issues early in the SDLC can reduce the cost of fixing bugs and other issues later. This saves time and resources and reduces the risk of delays, or other issues that could impact project delivery;
-
Improve code quality. Static analysis helps identify coding standards violations and other issues that may affect code quality. By addressing these issues early, developers can ensure that code is well-written, maintainable, and easy to debug;
-
Stronger security. Static analysis tools can identify security vulnerabilities in code, allowing developers to address them before the code is released to production. This greatly reduces the risk of security vulnerabilities and other issues that could impact application security.
How can using static analysis to implement shift left help you improve your profits?
Shift left through static analysis can also improve a business's projected return on investment (ROI) and cost savings.
One of the main advantages of static analysis is the discovery of defects and vulnerabilities early in the SDLC. Early detection can save companies time and money in the long run. A study by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) shows that the cost of fixing defects increases significantly as the development cycle progresses. In the requirements phase, the cost to detect and fix a defect may be around $60, while in the production phase, the cost to detect and fix it may be as high as $10,000! By employing static analysis, companies can reduce the number of defects in the production phase and significantly reduce the overall cost of fixing defects.
In addition to reducing the cost of fixing defects, static analysis can improve code quality, resulting in further cost savings. Optimized code reduces the time and effort required for testing, debugging, and maintenance. An IBM study found that by improving code quality, the cost of fixing defects can be reduced by up to 75%.
Security is another area where static analysis helps reduce costs, especially those associated with security breaches and negative brand reputation. An IBM study found that the cost of a data breach could range from $1.25 million to $8.19 million. Static analysis can detect security vulnerabilities early in the SDLC, allowing enterprises to fix them before deploying software. In this way, businesses can significantly reduce the risk and cost of security breaches and protect their reputation.
In addition to cost savings, static analysis also brings productivity gains. By finding defects early in development, developers can reduce the time and effort required to debug and fix defects. This also frees up time for other development activities such as feature development or testing. By improving productivity, businesses can reduce the time and cost required for software development and improve their ability to deliver software quickly.
Shift left has brought significant results to enterprises in terms of cost savings and ROI improvement. By detecting defects and vulnerabilities early, companies can significantly reduce the cost of fixing defects, improve code quality and security, and increase productivity. These benefits can increase customer satisfaction, improve software quality, and reduce development costs.
How to choose a static code analyzer?
Here are a few things to consider when deciding which tool is right for you.
programming language
Static code analyzers are designed for many different programming languages. Therefore, it is important to choose a tool that supports the language you use.
standard
One of the main uses of static code analyzers is compliance with various standards. So, if you are in an industry that requires compliance with some specific coding standard, make sure the tool supports that standard.
Why Choose Perforce Static Code Analyzer Tool for Static Analysis?
Perforce static analysis solutions have been trusted for more than 30 years, delivering accurate and reliable results to teams across industries executing mission-critical projects. Helix QAC and Klocwork are certified to meet coding standards and compliance requirements. And they have fewer false positives and false negatives.
About the Author:
Richard Bellairs _ _
Perforce Product Marketing Manager
Richard Bellairs has over 20 years’ experience working across industries. In the 1990s and early 2000s, he held electronics and software engineering positions in the manufacturing, defense, and test and measurement industries before transitioning to product management and product marketing. Now he is responsible for Perforce's market-leading code quality management solution. Richard holds a BEng in Electronic Engineering from the University of Sheffield and a Professional Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).
Article source: https://bit.ly/475QvWP