Static Analysis tools at method/function level?

Question

Recently I got into using static analysis tools like sonarqube and Teamscale.

However, they only show metrics at Project/Package/Class level. I am particularly interested in assessing the quality of Java methods, but the only tool I found that returns results at a method level was Sourcemeter and the respective plugin for Sonarqube.

Are there any other static analysis tools out there that provide metrics at a method level?

Answer 1

Many linters are available, and usually report at the method/function level.

A couple that are worth looking at for Java are:

• Lint4j from jutils
• Checkstyle
• PMD
• FindBugs

It might even be worth taking a look at squale!

There is even a linter built into the Oracle Javac compiler (enabled with the -Xlint flags)

Answer 2

JArchitect tool gives you many metrics at a method level including Architecture/Design/Implementation metrics. And by using its code query language you can easily query exactly what you want as metrics, and also calculate your own ones based on the existing metrics.

// <Name>Avoid methods too big, too complex</Name>
warnif count > 0 from m in JustMyCode.Methods where 
    (m.NbLinesOfCode > 35 ||
   m.CyclomaticComplexity > 20)

  let complexityScore = m.NbLinesOfCode/2 + m.CyclomaticComplexity 

  orderby complexityScore descending,
          m.CyclomaticComplexity descending
select new { 
   m, 
   m.NbLinesOfCode,
   m.CyclomaticComplexity, 
   complexityScore,

   Debt = complexityScore.Linear(30, 40,    400, 8*60).ToMinutes().ToDebt(),

   // The annual interest varies linearly from interest for severity minor 
   // to interest for severity major
   AnnualInterest = complexityScore .Linear(30,     Severity.Medium.AnnualInterestThreshold().Value.TotalMinutes, 
                                            200, 2*(Severity.High.AnnualInterestThreshold().Value.TotalMinutes)).ToMinutes().ToAnnualInterest()

}