Qodana / Static Code Analysis Guide / What is an IDE?
Static Analysis as an IDE Integration
Every developer needs their tools, which help them get the most out of their workday and build products they’re proud of. Arguably, the most important of these is the IDE they use daily.
Let’s explore what an IDE is, what it comprises, and why it’s best to code in one. We will also look at how static code analysis integrates into an IDE to centralize work and stop developers from having to toggle between multiple tabs.
What is an IDE?
An IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is software that combines commonly used development tools into one self-sustainable application, providing an integrated coding environment for software engineers.
JetBrains makes popular IDEs, like IntelliJ IDEA, WebStorm, PyCharm, Rider, and more, all geared toward different programming languages.
Developers use IDEs every day to create some of the world’s most promising and complex applications – and also some of the worst ones. Some people call IDEs code editors, but realistically, they’re much more than that.
What does an IDE consist of, technically speaking?
IDEs, like any code editor, give you the ability to write and modify code.
Text editor
A text editor can do what many code editors do – highlight syntax for multiple programming languages, save the history of changes, enable keyword searches in files, and much more. IDEs also often include deeper insight into the code, such as error highlighting before code compilation or execution and code navigation.
However, an IDE is not just a text editor with additional features – it can also provide tools for code compilation and execution, debugging, version control, project assembly, environment configuration, and test automation.
Compilers and interpreters
In addition to this, an IDE is usually highly customizable with plugins. These allow developers to customize and supplement their applications as needed. However, the most important feature of an IDE is that by downloading one application, a developer gets all of the necessary tools for writing code with each integrated into the IDE, opening up opportunities for communication between different components.
Integrating compilers and interpreters allows developers to run everything from one application in one click and immediately navigate to the error location in the text editor.
A debugger
Integration allows you to monitor live code execution, displays breakpoints in the text editor, and offers more context for developers to understand the execution flow, increasing opportunities for troubleshooting.
Build automation tools
Integration with build automation tools lets users see dependencies via the UI and run build scripts for navigation in case of compilation errors, and it also allows the user to customize the environment to some extent.
For example, if a build script specifies an SDK version, the IDE can find it on the system or download and configure the compilation and program launch so that the SDK is used without developer intervention.
Version control systems
Integration with version control systems allows the IDE to show the history of changes directly in the text editor, with the ability to restore a file or part of it to the version being viewed in one click. In addition, high customizability via plugins offers the opportunity to expand the toolkit in the form of support for new languages or integration of other tools.
User interface
Such extensive capabilities can create difficulties when working with the IDE, creating a high learning curve and constantly confusing users. It's the job of the IDE's user interface to provide a good developer experience and easy use.
What types of IDEs are available?
There will be some overlap between different types of IDEs, but they can broadly be divided into two categories:
Local IDEs
A developer installs and runs a local IDE directly on their personal or work computer. They have to download and configure the environment depending on their preferences, the type of project they’re working on, and the languages they’re using. In terms of ways of work, this is the most common option for developers who opt for IDEs like IntelliJ IDEA to write their code in every day.
Reasons to love local IDEs
Using a local IDE is typically a straightforward process. However, it may require additional configuration, such as configuring runtime environments, resolving dependency version conflicts, or setting up local database instances, which can get quite complicated. Developers opt for a local IDE when looking for easy customization with plugins, free and open-source options to start with or try out, and self-containment so they don’t have to rely on an internet connection or external sources to get the job done.
The downside
IDE installation and configuration can be a difficult and time-consuming process, especially for developers working in industries that are highly regulated, like finance or government. At the same time, security patches, updated libraries, and other changes to the production environment can cause configuration drift. Local IDEs also require a good amount of computing power to run on a machine locally.
Experience the Power of JetBrains IDEs
JetBrains IDEs offer a tailored, language-specific environment with built-in support for frameworks, tools, and technologies — all in one place.
Cloud IDEs
Cloud IDEs allow developers to write, test, and deploy code directly from a web browser. They work in a similar fashion to local IDEs, but are hosted on remote servers.
Reasons to love cloud IDEs
It’s easy to access these IDEs online, and teammates are able to work together in real time to get things done collaboratively. The environment configuration is more reliable: once configured on the server, each instance of the IDE on this server can access it. Cloud resources usually outshine those of local machines in terms of scalability and automatic backups, which means developers are less likely to lose work with a cloud IDE than in a local one.
The downside
Of course, there are some security risks associated with cloud IDEs, and developers need an internet connection to access them. Sometimes latency can be an issue, and most cloud IDEs have limited features compared to their local counterparts.
Benefits of an IDE over a text editor
We’ve touched on choosing between a local or cloud IDE, but what about IDEs versus text editors? Some of the benefits are clearer than others. For example, we’ve touched on the integration of tools, which clearly helps by providing a more streamlined and efficient development process. But let’s get a clearer idea of why IDEs are so important.
Supporting developer productivity
Software development isn’t easy. It takes time, attention, effort, and continuous learning to be good at it, but capable tools are designed to help support these processes and keep developers productive. At the same time, developers are often under a lot of pressure to complete tasks and deploy, straddling the fine line between meeting tight deadlines and ensuring high-quality work.
In-IDE code completion suggests variables, methods, code snippets, etc., to help make coding faster. But it isn’t a perfect system without a developer on hand to accept and reject suggested changes as they are made. In the same breath, code refactoring helps rename variables, extract methods, and make changes to the code structure without adding any errors that can cause issues.
Greater focus and centrality
With an IDE, developers can have their tools integrated into a single interface, which means less context switching, tab tracking, and toggling. They can also get instant access to documentation. Usually, with an IDE, developers can reference how-to guides, APIs, and language syntax right inside the IDE they work within.
Easier collaboration
IDEs are designed for use by individual developers, but they can also help developers work together. For example, real-time editing and integrated version control enable teammates to work on a project at the same time and track any changes. Developers can commit, branch, and merge directly in the IDE without having to change to another tool.
Static Code Analysis IDE integration
Static code analysis is helpful in the CI/CD pipeline. It has immense benefits for teams, but what about making changes in the IDE or analyzing code before it gets submitted for review or merged into the main branch?
With in-IDE analysis, developers can easily introduce a range of code quality measures into their development workflow to mitigate risk. Let’s look at a couple of examples of how to do this with a Qodana plugin or an extension, depending on which IDE someone is using.
How Qodana can help with IDE Integration?
When static code analysis is integrated into a CI/CD workflow, it’s always the IDE where teams address the actual issues. With the out-of-the-box integration of JetBrains IDEs and the VS Code extension, Qodana sends targeted feedback on issues found within server-side scans so that they can be fixed faster – no distractions and context-switching. Developers can stay in their coding zone and fix issues, while Qodana does all of the analysis on the CI side.
At the same time, Qodana enables CI analysis, which gives development teams the opportunity to get feedback faster than using local static code analysis because CI processes usually require a more efficient server.
Instant code analysis feedback
Once changes are pushed to the remote repository, Qodana will do a background scan on the CI side and automatically submit the issue report to the developer’s IDE. They will receive automated feedback on bugs, duplicated code, code smells, incompatible dependencies, and security vulnerabilities. They’ll also see the health of the entire project – without even leaving the IDE – and will be able to start fixing flagged issues right away.
Server-side reports delivered to the IDE
When changes are committed, Qodana will do a background scan on the CI side and automatically submit the report with any problems it identifies to the IDE.
This way, developers can view how healthy the project is – again, without having to leave the IDE – and it will give them the option to start fixing problems immediately.
Streamline localization and other tasks
Qodana can prevent manual steps in the localization process, reducing the number of human errors and increasing confidence in the localized builds. By running frequent checks in the early stages of development,
Qodana can help prevent issues and become a single source of truth for development teams. Find out more about Qodana for localization.
Supercharge Your IDE With Qodana!
Get instant feedback, fix issues faster, and keep your code clean — all without leaving your development environment.
