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An Introduction to Salesforce Static Code Analysis

Josh Rank
May 18, 2022

Salesforce static code analysis is an automated DevOps tool that provides real-time visibility into code health.

Salesforce DevOps continues to grow more and more popular. This has led to some pretty impressive innovations as far as tooling is concerned. It’s no secret that Salesforce’s development platform leaves a bit to be desired in terms of functionality, which can lead to mistakes.

Even the best developers are prone to making mistakes. It’s simply unavoidable. However, it can be incredibly costly if one of these mistakes remains unnoticed through production and creates issues in a live environment. Static code analysis aims to fix this.

We thought we’d run through the basics of Salesforce static code analysis so you come out with a clear understanding of what it is and how it improves your DevOps pipeline.

Here is what you need to know about Salesforce static code analysis:

What Is Static Code Analysis?
Why Do I Need Static Code Analysis?
Benefits of Static Code Analysis
What Is Covered by Salesforce Static Code Analysis?
Impact on Team Members
Data Security + Static Code Analysis
Does Static Code Analysis Work Well with Other DevOps Tools?

1. What Is Static Code Analysis?

It’s in your best interest to locate these errors as soon as possible before they snowball into larger issues. Static code analysis is an automated DevOps tool that scans the code your developers write in real time.

Static code analysis provides a high-level analysis of code health from the moment it is written through production.

Your developers will receive immediate alerts when an error is entered into the code repository. This allows them to rectify the coding mistake, reducing redundant work and improving ROI for each DevOps project.

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2. Why Do I Need Static Code Analysis?

Coding errors are going to occur. Even the best developers are prone to making mistakes. This is to be expected, which is why we need to put safeguards in place to ensure these mistakes don’t make it through production and cause issues in a live environment.

Static code analysis accounts for errors and alerts your team so they can fix them in a timely and cost-efficient manner.

Multiple checkpoints throughout your Salesforce DevOps pipeline greatly diminishes the chances of a bug making its way through deployment, impacting functionality and potentially crating data security vulnerabilities.

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3. Benefits of Static Code Analysis

Introducing Salesforce static code analysis streamlines the code review process so you can increase release velocity, maintain consistently high levels of quality, and support your data security strategy.

Static code analysis improves the health of your code as well as the surrounding Salesforce environment as a whole.

Static code analysis can also be used to find and flag technical debt that exists within your system. These are errors and bugs that might have been meant to be rectified after deployment but are still existing on your platform.

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4. What Is Covered by Salesforce Static Code Analysis?

We’ve mentioned how your code is covered by this automated Salesforce DevOps tool. However, it actually goes beyond that to scan other areas of your system for potential errors, improper structures, and opportunities for improvement.

Static code analysis covers new code, existing code, as well as Salesforce metadata to provide a complete snapshot of the health of your system.

Metadata exists in the background of your Salesforce environment but needs to be protected just as rigorously as other types of data.

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5. Impact on Team Members

As with other types of automated DevOps tools, one of the greatest impacts Salesforce static code analysis will have on your team members is that it frees them up to focus on more pressing matters. Testing and reviewing code updates is incredibly time consuming when performed manually.

Not only does this repetition increase the chances of missing an error, but it also takes your team away from furthering other aspects of the update.

Automating the code review process takes incredibly tedious tasks off of your team members’ to-do lists.

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6. Data Security + Static Code Analysis

There are so many different threats to your system that it is impossible to completely ensure you’re safe from data loss/corruption events. Cybercriminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Something as simple as a power outage can knock out protections. It’s important to take every possible precaution to provide the highest level of data security.

Bugs and errors in the code of updates and applications have the potential to create errors that open backdoors to cybercriminals.

And if these errors result in improper functionality, they can lead to other issues as well. Salesforce static code analysis finds these errors before they create data security risks.

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7. Does Static Code Analysis Work Well with Other DevOps Tools?

A successful Salesforce DevOps strategy is going to be a patchwork of various tools and processes. DevOps includes the efforts of multiple departments working together at the same time, which means the platform needs to support the various functions needed to get the job done.

CI/CD, data backup and recovery, and other automated release management tools work perfectly with static code analysis to provide complete coverage of the DevOps pipeline.

Static code analysis is no longer an optional tool for your development team. The benefits it provides are simply too important to find a workaround. Competition is growing more fierce in the world of software development and you can’t afford to leave anything on the table.

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FAQs

Do I need static code analysis?

Every DevOps team stands to benefit from implementing a static code analysis tool. Errors are simply unavoidable, and this tool works to help your team rectify them before they become a liability.

How do I choose a static code analysis tool?

CodeScan was designed specifically for Salesforce and integrates perfectly within AutoRABIT’s full DevSecOps platform. This ensures you are working with multiple security and quality checks throughout your DevOps pipeline to produce the best possible updates and applications.

What other tools work alongside Salesforce static code analysis?

A data backup and recovery tool is an essential addition to every Salesforce instance. CI/CD perform additional quality checks that support the work done by static code analysis. These and other tools work together to ensure your Salesforce environment remains secure.