Utilizing Static Source Code Analysis
Career Paths
How to interpret this table?
You may choose this advanced topic if you like doing the things listed under “they usually do”, and you are fine with not doing the things listed under “they usually do not do”.
Alternatively, you may choose it if you are interested in applying for the listed job roles and want to practice work that is close to those roles.
| Job title | They usually do | They usually do NOT do | Real-life examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer (quality-focused) | Use automated static analysis tools, interpret results, improve code quality based on findings, verify improvements through re-measurement | Treat tool output as self-explanatory, ignore findings, or use analysis only as a checkbox | Code quality improvement in medium-sized Python or Java projects |
| Quality / Audit Lead | Select appropriate tools, define analysis scope, ensure traceability from findings to actions, document decisions | Cherry-pick results or hide problematic findings | Internal code audits, quality gates in CI pipelines |
Affected SDLC Phases
If a team chooses this advanced topic, the implementation, testing, and quality assurance phases are most strongly affected. Static analysis is used repeatedly to guide improvements. Results must feed back into development decisions and be verified through re-analysis.
Affected Tasks
Features are defined
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
By the end of this task, your team has identified which parts of the codebase will be subject to static analysis and why.
Technical Details
The team must select at least one automated static analysis tool and document the choice in README.md.
Acceptable example tools include:
- Python: pylint, flake8, mypy, bandit
- Java: Checkstyle, PMD, SpotBugs, SonarQube (local analysis)
The scope of analysis (modules, packages, or full codebase) must be defined upfront.
Quality
High-quality work shows a conscious tool choice and a clearly defined analysis scope.
Features are sorted by priority
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Your team prioritizes issues found by static analysis based on risk and impact.
Technical Details
Prioritization must consider:
- Severity reported by the tool
- Potential runtime or maintenance impact
- Relevance to the project context
Not all findings must be fixed, but decisions must be justified.
Quality
High-quality prioritization distinguishes between critical issues and acceptable technical debt.
Features' cost and price are estimated
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Your team estimates the effort required to address selected static analysis findings.
Technical Details
Estimates must be based on concrete findings (number, type, and severity of issues).
Quality
High-quality estimates are realistic and grounded in analysis data.
System is working
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
By the end of this task, your team demonstrates that static analysis has been run and acted upon.
Technical Details
The demo must show:
- Initial analysis results
- Implemented changes addressing selected findings
- Re-run analysis showing changed results
Raw tool output alone is not sufficient; interpretation must be shown.
Quality
High-quality demos clearly connect analysis results to concrete code changes and measurable improvement.
Bug fixing
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
During development, your team reports and fixes at least one issue identified by static analysis.
Technical Details
The bug report must include:
- The original analysis finding
- Why it was considered a bug
- The fix applied
- Re-analysis confirming improvement or resolution
If a finding is intentionally not fixed, this must be documented as an audit decision.
Quality
High-quality bug fixing demonstrates a full loop: detection → decision → fix → re-measurement.
User documentation
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
User documentation is not required to include static analysis details.
Technical Details
No additional requirements beyond standard task expectations.
Quality
High-quality submissions avoid polluting user docs with internal quality tooling.
Developer documentation
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Developer documentation describes the static analysis setup and audit process.
Technical Details
Documentation must describe:
- Tools used and configuration
- How analysis is run
- How findings are evaluated and tracked
- How re-measurement is performed
Quality
High-quality documentation enables repeatable audits and transparent quality control.