CodeSurfer

A code browser that understands pointers, indirect function calls, and whole-program effects.

What Customers Say

"Our group analyzes many mission-critical software projects to reduce defects and ensure that the software meets requirements. We conducted a formal study to see if CodeSurfer could improve our software inspections. We found that CodeSurfer reduced inspection time by an average of 30%. In addition, when using CodeSurfer the number of defects found more than doubled."

– SAIC/NASA

Overview

Arguably the most sophisticated C/C++ code browser available, CodeSurfer is the tool of choice for organizations that manually review software for critical applications.

CodeSurfer is related to CodeSonar, GrammaTech's automated source-code analysis tool that finds bugs. CodeSurfer is a program-understanding tool that makes manual review of code easier and faster. CodeSonar is an automated bug finder that generates a report of defects in the code.

Many program-understanding tools interpret code loosely. In contrast, CodeSurfer does a precise analysis. Program constructs—including preprocessor directives, macros, and C++ templates—are analyzed correctly. CodeSurfer calculates a variety of representations that can be explored through the graphical user interface or accessed through the optional programming API. Notable features include:

Whole-Program Analysis. See effects between files.
Pointer Analysis. See which pointers point to which variables and procedures.
Call Graphs. See a complete call graph, including functions called indirectly via pointers.
GMOD/GREF Analysis. See all the globals a function uses or modifies.
Impact Analysis. See what statements depend on a selected statement.
Powerful Searching. Find information easily with precise searches.
Dataflow Analysis. Pinpoint where a variable was assigned its value.
Control Dependence Analysis. See the code that influences a statement's execution.
Macro Processing. Navigate from the use of a macro to its definition.
Preprocessor Effects. See what code was compiled out of the build.

Screenshots of the CodeSurfer user interface can be accessed through the menu on the left.