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Cppcheck VS PVS-Studio

Compare Cppcheck VS PVS-Studio and see what are their differences

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.

PVS-Studio logo PVS-Studio

PVS-Studio is a useful piece of software for detecting problems in source code. The software examines program codes written in C, C++, and C# for any problems that might prohibit the code from functioning properly.
  • Cppcheck Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-13
  • PVS-Studio Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-02

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.

PVS-Studio features and specs

  • Comprehensive Code Analysis
    PVS-Studio offers a detailed static code analysis that helps to identify a wide range of potential issues in C, C++, C#, and Java code, including bugs, coding errors, and potential vulnerabilities.
  • Integration with Development Environments
    Seamless integration with popular IDEs like Visual Studio, IntelliJ IDEA, and others, which allows developers to receive immediate feedback on code quality as they write and modify code.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    PVS-Studio supports multiple operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, providing flexibility for diverse development environments.
  • Rich Set of Diagnostic Rules
    The tool comes with an extensive set of diagnostic rules designed specifically for each supported language, enabling early detection of potential issues specific to the language.
  • Regular Updates
    The vendor provides frequent updates that include new diagnostics, improved algorithms, and support for newer language standards, ensuring the tool remains current and effective.

Possible disadvantages of PVS-Studio

  • Cost
    PVS-Studio is a commercial product, requiring a paid subscription or license, which might be a constraint for small companies or independent developers.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    New users might find it challenging to navigate and utilize all features effectively due to the comprehensive nature of the software.
  • Resource Intensive
    The analysis process can be resource-intensive, which might slow down performance on older or less powerful machines.
  • Integration Complexity
    While integration is possible with many systems, setting it up in CI/CD pipelines or with certain build systems may require significant configuration effort.
  • Potential for False Positives
    Like many static analysis tools, PVS-Studio may occasionally produce false positives, requiring developers to spend time reviewing non-issues.

Cppcheck videos

Cppcheck

More videos:

  • Review - Daniel Marjamäki: Cppcheck, static code analysis

PVS-Studio videos

Generic Talks - PVS-Studio

More videos:

  • Review - CppCast Episode 238: PVS-Studio Static Analysis with Yuri Minaev

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Cppcheck and PVS-Studio)
Code Analysis
68 68%
32% 32
Code Coverage
66 66%
34% 34
Code Review
63 63%
37% 37
Development
72 72%
28% 28

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 PVS-Studio

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...

PVS-Studio Reviews

8 Best Static Code Analysis Tools For 2024
PVS Studio provides many integration options, including IDEs, build systems, CI platforms, etc. You can also install this tool on operating systems like Windows, macOS, or Linux.
Source: www.qodo.ai
TOP 40 Static Code Analysis Tools (Best Source Code Analysis Tools)
PVS-Studio is a tool for detecting bugs and security weaknesses in the source code of programs, written in C, C++, C#, and Java. It works in Windows, Linux, and macOS environment.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, PVS-Studio should be more popular than Cppcheck. It has been mentiond 17 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 / about 1 year 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: almost 2 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: about 2 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: about 2 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 2 years ago
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PVS-Studio mentions (17)

  • Court is in session: Top 10 most notorious C and C++ errors in 2024
    The court is silent. Even the judge is speechless. The most dangerous criminals of the year have been apprehended. The only thing left is to destroy them, but that's another story... However, we wouldn't have been able to find these errors without the help of our trusty detective—the PVS-Studio analyzer. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • 5 lines of fortune: what program keeps under wraps
    As mentioned above, I analyzed the project using the PVS-Studio static analyzer. The checked code matches the 3d30b2e commit. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • 19 errors in LLVM 19
    If I understand correctly, LLVM is already regularly checked with Coverity Scan Static Analysis and Clang Static Analyzer. PVS-Studio would look great next to the above tools :) That would be a horse of a different colour! - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • What's new in C# 13: overview
    The above scope characteristic can be an unexpected problem for a developer. For example, legacy code with irrelevant logic may cause issues when executed (especially in a running application). Certain tools that detect such non-obvious errors can help you prevent this. Those are static code analyzers. This update inspired us to add a new diagnostic rule for our C# PVS-Studio analyzer, in addition to hundreds of... - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • PPSSPP or PSP?
    So, PPSSPP is a powerful tool that enables fans of classic PSP games to enjoy them with improved graphics and the convenience of modern devices. Since PPSSPP is an open-source project, we were eager to check it using our tool. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Cppcheck and PVS-Studio, you can also consider the following products

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.

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

Parasoft C/C++test - Ensure compliance with a variety of functional safety, security, and coding standards in embedded C/C++ software.

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

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

Polyspace - Polyspace is a suite of static code analysis products developed by Matlab to help software developers, QA Testers, and engineers find critical problems in their code and fix them before they become a serious threat.