static analysis (static code analysis)
Static analysis, also called static code analysis, is a method of computer program debugging
that is done by examining the code without executing the program. The process provides an
understanding of the code structure, and can help to ensure that the code adheres to industry
standards. Automated tools can assist programmers and developers in carrying out static analysis.
The process of scrutinizing code by visual inspection alone (by looking at a printout, for
example), without the assistance of automated tools, is sometimes called program understanding or
program comprehension.
The principal advantage of static analysis is the fact that it can reveal errors that do not
manifest themselves until a disaster occurs weeks, months or years after release. Nevertheless,
static analysis is only a first step in a comprehensive software quality-control regime. After
static analysis has been done, dynamic analysis is often performed in an effort to uncover subtle
defects or vulnerabilities. In computer terminology, static means fixed, while dynamic means
capable of action and/or change. Dynamic analysis involves the testing and evaluation of a program
based on execution. Static and dynamic analysis, considered together, are sometimes referred to as
glass-box testing.
This was last updated in November 2006
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