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And SpotBugs, CheckStyle and PMD can help me do that.</p> <p><em>NOTE: updated 20200625 because I no longer use QAPlug or FindBugs, I install PMD, CheckStyle and SpotBugs directly from the IntelliJ plugins. Updated 20200713 to include recommendation of SonarLint</em></p> <p>I’m always looking for simple ways that I can improve my Java programming.</p> <p>I use SonarLint, PMD, SpotBugs, CheckStyle IntelliJ Plugins my IDE.</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.sonarlint.org/intellij/">SonarLint</a></li> <li><a href="https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/1137-pmdplugin">PMD Plugin</a></li> <li><a href="https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/14014-spotbugs">SpotBugs Plugin</a></li> <li><a href="https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/1065-checkstyle-idea">CheckStyle Plugin</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="using-static-analysis">Using Static Analysis</h2> <p>Using Static Analysis is like having a coach sitting by you when you are writing code. And some of the suggestions the tools make you won’t understand, so you have to search and learn what they mean - forcing you to learn that little bit more about your chosen language.</p> <p>Don’t take all the suggestions at face value. You choose which suggestions to act on, and you can configure the tools to warn you about some things and not others.</p> <p>Over time, you might choose to add the command line and build versions of the tools into your CI process rather than just your personal coding approach.</p> <h2 id="sonarlint">SonarLint</h2> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathyrollo">Katherine Rollo</a> recommended I try <a href="https://www.sonarlint.org/intellij/">SonarLint</a>.</p> <p>The interesting part of SonarLint is that it works ‘on the fly’. It is a little easier to use because you open the tab for SonarLint and it shows you any issues with the current file you are working with.</p> <p>I’ve been finding the speed and accessiblity of the tool very useful, so I have been using SonarLint more than the other tools, which means I’ve been using Static Analysis to help me improve my coding more than ever.</p> <p>By keeping the tab open, it is like having someone to pair with, who comments on your Java coding as you go. I find it very useful.</p> <ul> <li>Open the SonarLint Tab</li> <li>Read the results of the analysis</li> </ul> <iframe src="https://share.getcloudapp.com/BluOm5ZW?embed=true" style="border:none" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <p><a href="https://share.getcloudapp.com/BluOm5ZW">SonarLint Demo</a></p> <h2 id="pmd-plugin">PMD Plugin</h2> <ul> <li>right click on the project</li> <li>choose “PMD”</li> <li>choose profile</li> <li>analyse the results</li> </ul> <iframe src="https://share.getcloudapp.com/yAuYyN6L?branding=true&embed=true&title=true" width="575" height="400" style="border:none" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <p><a href="https://share.getcloudapp.com/yAuYyN6L">PMD Demo</a></p> <h2 id="checkstyle-plugin">CheckStyle Plugin</h2> <ul> <li>configure using Preferences \ Tools \ Checkstyle</li> <li>set to scan scope including tests</li> <li>click the Checkstyle tab</li> <li>Check Project</li> <li>Analyse the results</li> </ul> <iframe src="https://share.getcloudapp.com/JruLxJAP?branding=true&embed=true&title=true" width="575" height="400" style="border:none" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <p><a href="https://share.getcloudapp.com/JruLxJAP">CheckStyle Demo</a></p> <h2 id="spotbugs-plugin">SpotBugs Plugin</h2> <ul> <li>click the SpotBugs tab</li> <li>analyse project file including test sources</li> <li>Analyse the Results</li> </ul> <iframe src="https://share.getcloudapp.com/Qwul5m4Q?branding=true&embed=true&title=true" width="575" height="400" style="border:none" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <p><a href="https://share.getcloudapp.com/Qwul5m4Q">SpotBugs Demo</a></p> <h2 id="demo-of-qaplug-plugin-with-pmd-findbugs-and-checkstyle">Demo of QAPlug plugin with PMD, FindBugs and CheckStyle</h2> <div class="video-container"> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o4pdkgHfQS4" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> <div><p class="center-text"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4pdkgHfQS4" target="_blank">Watch on YouTube</a></p></div> <p>QAPlug wraps it all up in an right click menu item to Analyze the source code and shows all the items in a list for you to work through.</p> <p>Just make sure you double click on the lowest branch in the tree to jump right to the code position where the tool identified the issue or suggestion.</p> <h2 id="related-links">Related Links</h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://checkstyle.sourceforge.io/">CheckStyle</a></li> <li><a href="https://pmd.github.io/">PMD</a></li> <li><a href="https://spotbugs.github.io/">SpotBugs</a></li> </ul> </article> </section> <div class="post-footer-info"> <div style="background: #bcebb6;"> <p>If you like this content then you might be interested in my Patreon Community. 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