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6 Ways Static Code Analysis Supports Your DevSecOps Tools

Josh Rank
November 1, 2023

Static code analysis is a critical aspect of a complete DevSecOps toolset because it helps teams draw even more benefits from their other automated tools.

Why It Matters: Streamlining processes increases the ROI on every Salesforce DevOps project. Getting more from your tools makes your team members more productive and effective in their roles.

Automated tools are much more reliable than manual processes—human error is unavoidable.
Getting more from your existing tools increases capabilities without the need to spend more money.

Here are 6 ways static code analysis expands the benefits of your Salesforce DevSecOps tools:

Simplify Deployments by Eliminating Coding Errors
Integrate Within CI/CD Pipeline to Streamline Commits
Prevent Future Security Issues
Enable Reporting Refinement
Broaden Team Member Knowledge through Immediate Alerts
Create Better Products with Stronger Code

1. Simplify Deployments by Eliminating Coding Errors

Clunky deployments lead to errors and failures. And when this happens, it takes a lot of time and effort to find the mistakes, correct them, and get the project back to where it was before.

Addressing these errors before they have a chance to negatively impact deployments saves time while making a better working experience for team members.

Early detection and remediation enable CI/CD tools to seamlessly integrate changes and package them for production.

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2. Integrate Within CI/CD Pipeline to Streamline Commits

A DevSecOps tool on its own will offer self-contained features. However, the ability to integrate that tool into another one provides a seamless transition for functions and processes.

A proper static code analysis tool should integrate directly into your CI/CD pipeline to streamline verified commits.

Security and quality are immediately boosted when static code analysis and CI/CD tools work alongside each other. Flawless code makes the integration of new code seamless.

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3. Prevent Future Security Issues

The stability of your coding structure has a direct impact on the security of your eventual release. Misfires in the application can be exploited by bad actors and lead to costly exposures.

High-quality code strengthens data security measures and enables other DevSecOps tools to focus on optimizing the release.

Security issues lead to a lot of rework to fix the bug and restore any damaged data. Prevent this with faultless code through static code analysis.

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4. Enable Reporting Refinement

Static code analysis tools are able to provide detailed reports on code quality and even technical debt. Legacy bugs and errors degrade the performance of your system and contribute to data security vulnerabilities.

Detailed reports on code quality enable release managers to refine their approach to new projects and further streamline processes.

Insight into improvements helps teams make the most of their entire DevSecOps toolset.

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5. Broaden Team Member Knowledge Through Immediate Alerts

Static code analysis provides alerts the moment an error is written. This is done through highlighting the error and allowing the developer to immediately fix it.

Not only does this make the update more stable, but it also teaches team members how to correct their errors.

Developers are less likely to commit the same error if they are consistently corrected in real time—making them more skilled at their jobs.

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6. Create Better Products with Stronger Code

The goal of every Salesforce DevSecOps pipeline is to create the best possible update or application. Every DevSecOps tool is working toward a shared goal of producing a secure, reliable, and valuable product.

Static code analysis is a major factor in achieving this—but not the only tool needed to consistently achieve it.

Your DevSecOps toolset needs to flow seamlessly, which is more difficult when the tools are piecemealed together from a series of vendors. AutoRABIT is the only comprehensive Salesforce DevSecOps toolset on the market that offers static code analysis, CI/CD, data backup and recovery, and much more.

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Next Step…

Static code analysis goes a long way toward achieving success with your DevSecOps tools. Now it’s time to look deeper into how static code analysis solves your Salesforce data issues.

Read our blog, How an Automated Code Review Tool Solves Data Issues, to learn more.

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FAQs

How often should I run static code analysis tools?

Static code analysis should be a constant feature of your Salesforce DevOps pipeline. Every commit and line of code needs to be verified through testing to avoid errors that can result in costly rollbacks and even data security vulnerabilities. Leaving these verifications up to manual reviews will inevitably lead to missed mistakes that negate the benefits of reviewing code in the first place. Constantly utilizing static code analysis tools enables developers to fix an error the moment it’s introduced to the code repository. This prevents data security vulnerabilities, strengthens functionality, and reduces the cost of developing a project by avoiding having to rework previously completed aspects of the update or application in question.

Do static code analysis tools ever return false alerts? How can these be addressed?

Yes, static code analysis tools are susceptible to flagging healthy code as errors and allowing errors to pass through as healthy code. The best way to address this situation is to source the best static code analysis tool possible. The number of rules contained within a static code analysis tool will determine its effectiveness in spotting errors. This reliability is a major consideration when researching the tool you choose to source for your organization. CodeScan currently has more than 3,100 rules—800 of which are specific to Salesforce development.

Why should I use static code analysis tools when manual reviews seem to be doing just fine?

While manual code reviews play a crucial role in identifying security vulnerabilities and ensuring code quality, static code analysis tools offer several advantages. First, they provide an automated and consistent way to scan code, which is especially valuable for large and complex projects. They can catch subtle, easy-to-miss issues, reduce human error, and improve efficiency. Static code analysis tools also work well in CI/CD pipelines, providing real-time feedback to developers, which speeds up the development process. Additionally, they can find known vulnerabilities quickly, allowing manual reviews to focus on more complex, context-specific issues. Combining both approaches is often the most effective way to ensure robust security and code quality in modern software development.

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6 Ways Static Code Analysis Supports Your DevSecOps Tools

1. Simplify Deployments by Eliminating Coding Errors

2. Integrate Within CI/CD Pipeline to Streamline Commits

3. Prevent Future Security Issues

4. Enable Reporting Refinement

5. Broaden Team Member Knowledge Through Immediate Alerts

6. Create Better Products with Stronger Code

Next Step…

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