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Cppcheck VS Pmd

Compare Cppcheck VS Pmd and see what are their differences

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Cppcheck logo Cppcheck

Cppcheck is an analysis tool for C/C++ code. It detects the types of bugs that the compilers normally fail to detect. The goal is no false positives. CppCheckDownload cppcheck for free.

Pmd logo Pmd

PMD scans Java source code and looks for potential problems like:
  • Cppcheck Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-13
  • Pmd Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-10

Cppcheck features and specs

  • Open Source
    Cppcheck is open-source software, which means it is free to use and its source code is available for modification and distribution under the terms of the GNU General Public License.
  • Static Analysis
    Cppcheck excels at performing static code analysis, detecting bugs, memory leaks, and potential issues in C and C++ code without executing the program.
  • Wide Platform Support
    Cppcheck supports a wide range of platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, making it versatile and accessible to developers on different operating systems.
  • Integrated with IDEs
    Cppcheck can be integrated with popular Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) like Visual Studio, Eclipse, and Code::Blocks, providing seamless code analysis during development.
  • Customizable
    Cppcheck allows customization of its analysis through command-line options and configurations, enabling users to tailor the tool to their specific needs and project requirements.
  • Extensive Reporting
    Cppcheck provides detailed reports that highlight various types of issues, making it easier for developers to identify and resolve problems efficiently.
  • Regular Updates
    Cppcheck is actively maintained, with regular updates and improvements that enhance its capabilities and address any newly discovered issues.

Possible disadvantages of Cppcheck

  • False Positives
    Cppcheck may sometimes produce false positives, flagging issues that are not actually problematic, which can lead to unnecessary debugging efforts.
  • Learning Curve
    New users may encounter a learning curve when first using Cppcheck, as they need to understand its configuration options and how to interpret its output effectively.
  • Limited Dynamic Analysis
    Cppcheck focuses on static analysis and does not provide dynamic analysis capabilities, which means it cannot detect issues that only occur at runtime.
  • Performance Overhead
    Running Cppcheck on large codebases can introduce performance overhead, potentially slowing down the development process if not managed properly.
  • Complex Configuration
    For complex projects, configuring Cppcheck to ignore certain false positives or to focus on specific types of issues can be challenging and time-consuming.

Pmd features and specs

  • Open Source
    PMD is open-source software, which means it's free to use and can be modified by anyone. This allows for extensive community support and collaboration.
  • Multi-language Support
    PMD supports a variety of languages such as Java, JavaScript, Salesforce.com Apex, PLSQL, XML, XSL, and others, making it a versatile tool for developers working with different technologies.
  • Custom Rule Capability
    Users can define custom rules in PMD, allowing them to enforce specific coding standards and practices pertinent to their projects.
  • Integration and Automation
    PMD easily integrates with various build tools and CI/CD systems like Maven, Ant, Gradle, and Jenkins, helping automate the detection of code issues in continuous integration pipelines.
  • Comprehensive Reporting
    PMD provides detailed reports on code quality issues, which can be exported in multiple formats such as XML, CSV, text, and HTML, aiding in comprehensive documentation and analysis.

Possible disadvantages of Pmd

  • Steeper Learning Curve
    Users may experience a steeper learning curve due to the wide array of customizable features and the need to create custom rules in XML.
  • False Positives
    Like many static code analysis tools, PMD can generate false positives, which might lead developers to spend time reviewing non-issues.
  • Limited UI
    PMD primarily operates via command line and configuration files, lacking a graphical user interface, which might be inconvenient for some users who prefer visual tools.
  • Java Focus
    While it supports multiple languages, PMD is predominantly focused on Java, which might result in less comprehensive support for other languages.
  • Performance Overhead
    Running PMD on large codebases can sometimes introduce performance overhead, slowing down the development workflow, especially if not optimally configured.

Analysis of Cppcheck

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Cppcheck is generally considered a good tool for developers and teams working with C/C++ codebases. It provides valuable insights into code quality and potential issues that could lead to bugs. Its configurability and active community support further enhance its usefulness in a development environment.

Why this product is good

  • Cppcheck is a static analysis tool for C/C++ code that helps identify bugs, undefined behavior, and non-compliance with coding standards. It is widely appreciated for its ability to catch a variety of issues during the development phase without executing the code. The tool is open source, actively maintained, and has a wide array of checks that can be configured to suit different project requirements.

Recommended for

    Cppcheck is recommended for C/C++ developers and development teams, particularly those responsible for maintaining large codebases or projects where code quality and reliability are paramount. It is also beneficial for educational purposes, where students and new developers can learn about potential pitfalls in C/C++ programming.

Cppcheck videos

+ Add

Cppcheck

More videos:

  • Review - Daniel Marjamäki: Cppcheck, static code analysis

Pmd videos

+ Add

PMD: Personal Microderm PRO + Clean | Review & Demo

More videos:

  • Review - PMD Clean Review: I Tried it for 30 Days! | Beauty with Susan Yara
  • Review - PMD Personal Microderm 6-Week Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Cppcheck and Pmd)

Cppcheck

Pmd

Code Analysis
85 85%
Code Analysis
15% 15
Code Coverage
77 77%
Code Coverage
23% 23
Code Review
77 77%
Code Review
23% 23
Code Quality
0 0%
Code Quality
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Cppcheck and Pmd

Cppcheck Reviews

Top 9 C++ Static Code Analysis Tools
Cppcheck is a popular, open-source, free, cross-platform static code analysis tool dedicated to C and C++. It is known for being easy to use and its simplicity is one of its pros. To get started with it you don’t have to do any adjustments or modifications, which is why it’s often recommended for beginners. It also has a reputation of reporting a relatively small number of...
Source: www.incredibuild.com

Pmd Reviews

TOP 40 Static Code Analysis Tools (Best Source Code Analysis Tools)
A tool that helps in analyzing C/C++, Java, C#, RPG and Python codes. Another good thing about this tool is it allows integration with free static checker tools like cppcheck, PMD, FindBugs. Basic Version of this tool is free but it comes with fewer features. Based on the need, you can decide whether the free version satisfies the requirement or not.
Source: www.softwaretestinghelp.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Cppcheck seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 10 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Cppcheck mentions (10)

  • Configuring Cppcheck, Cpplint, and JSON Lint
    I dedicated Sunday morning to going over the documentation of the linters we use in the project. The goal was to understand all options and use them in the best way for our project. Seeing their manuals side by side was nice because even very similar things are solved differently. Cppcheck is the most configurable and best documented; JSON Lint lies at the other end. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Enforcing Memory Safety?
    Using infer, someone else exploited null-dereference checks to introduce simple affine types in C++. Cppcheck also checks for null-dereferences. Unfortunately, that approach means that borrow-counting references have a larger sizeof than non-borrow counting references, so optimizing the count away potentially changes the semantics of a program which introduces a whole new way of writing subtly wrong code. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Static Code analysis
    For my own projects, I used cppcheck. You can check out that tool to get a feel. Depending on what industry your in, you might need to follow a standard like Misra. Source: over 3 years ago
  • How do you not shoot yourself in the foot ?
    Https://cppcheck.sourceforge.io/ (there are many other static analysis tools, I just haven't used them or didn't care for them). Source: over 3 years ago
  • Linting tool for prohibiting the use of specific std types
    Sounds like something that could simply be communicated with the team that writes the tests. Unless you have dozens of such classes. In that case, you could just use e.g. Cppcheck and add a rule (regular expression) that searches for usages of the forbidden classes. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

Pmd mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Pmd yet. Tracking of Pmd recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Cppcheck and Pmd, you can also consider the following products

Clang Static Analyzer - The Clang Static Analyzer is a source code analysis tool that finds bugs in C, C++, and Objective-C...

Codacy - Automatically reviews code style, security, duplication, complexity, and coverage on every change while tracking code quality throughout your sprints.

Coverity Scan - Find and fix defects in your Java, C/C++ or C# open source project for free

SonarQube - SonarQube, a core component of the Sonar solution, is an open source, self-managed tool that systematically helps developers and organizations deliver Clean Code.

lgtm.com - lgtm.com is a platform for code analytics.

FindBugs - Findbugs is a tool that looks for bugs in Java code. Findbugs finds the bugs by analyzing computer software without actually executing programs. Using this software allows for easy debugging and repairing broken script. Read more about FindBugs.

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