 - 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.
| LAST UPDATED: |
08 Nov 2006
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