Klocwork 2022.1 Launches Kotlin Analysis Engine
A key component of the latest release of Klocwork is the launch of the Kotlin analysis engine, which greatly enhances the static analysis and SAST tool’s offerings. In addition, the release includes a number of other significant improvements that greatly enhance the tool’s performance and functionality.
Here, we provide an overview of the new analysis engine.
Klocwork 2022.1 — Kotlin Analysis Engine
The latest release of Klocwork has introduced Kotlin as a new supported analysis language, which provides you with the ability to scan Kotlin code for issues related to complexity, quality, performance, and best practices. As part of the new analysis engine, an additional 229 new checks have been included to help with code quality and performance.
Why Kotlin
Kotlin is a cross-platform, statically typed, and general-purpose programming language designed to be fully interoperable with Java. Unlike other cross-platform programming languages, Kotlin provides support at the machine code level and does not need bridging or wrapped in a container to work.
It is primarily used for Android and server-side applications. In fact, Google announced that Kotlin is the preferred programming language for Android apps.
As a result of its concise language, Kotlin facilitates faster development, with some software development experts estimating that it can cut as much as 40% of lines of code when compared to Java. By requiring less code, Kotlin enables developers to move faster, accelerating the delivery of code.
Additionally, Kotlin is safer than Java. One of the most significant reasons for this is that @Nullable and @NonNull are included in Kotlin’s type system, which helps developers to avoid NullPointerExceptions. This helps to ensure that Android apps that use Kotlin are 20% less likely to crash. In addition to null safety, Kotlin also contains a long list of software security features that Java does not have.
How Klocwork Benefits Kotlin Developers
Klocwork is able to provide the shortest possible analysis times — even for large code bases — while maintaining the accuracy and quality. This is especially valuable for Android projects as Klocwork Kotlin analysis engine will be able to improve the development speed for large code base projects.
In addition, the Klocwork Kotlin analysis engine provides you with early identification of complexity and performance issues sooner in the SDLC. This enables you to manage and resolve software quality factors quickly while delivering products and features to the market faster.
This continues to reinforce that regardless of your industry, you can rely on Klocwork for all your static code analysis and SAST needs.
To learn more about all the new enhancements to Klocwork, visit What’s New in Klocwork. If you would like to experience first-hand the benefits of using Klocwork, sign up for a free trial.