NDepend

NDepend

Developer(s)	NDepend
Stable release	2018.1.0
Operating system	Windows
Type	Software quality
License	Commercial, Proprietary
Website	ndepend.com

NDepend is a static analysis tool for .NET managed code. The tool supports a large number of code metrics, allowing to visualize dependencies using directed graphs and dependency matrix. The tool also performs code base snapshots comparisons, and validation of architectural and quality rules. User-defined rules can be written using LINQ queries. This feature is named CQLinq. The tool also comes with a large number of predefined CQLinq code rules. Code rules can be checked automatically in Visual Studio or during continuous integration.

Features

The main features of NDepend are:

• Dependency Visualization (using dependency graphs, and dependency matrix)
• Software metrics (NDepend currently supports 82 code metrics: Cyclomatic complexity; Afferent and Efferent Coupling; Relational Cohesion; Google page rank of .NET types; Percentage of code covered by tests, etc.)
• Declarative code rule over LINQ query (CQLinq)
• Integration with CruiseControl and TeamCity
• Optional code constraints in the source code using CLI attributes
• Version comparison of two versions of the same assembly

Code rules through LINQ queries (CQLinq)

CQLinq editor and query result displayed

All recent versions of the tool (after V4) proposes live code queries and code rules through LINQ queries. This is one of the main innovations of NDepend. For example:

- Base class should not use derivatives:

// <Name>Base class should not use derivatives</Name>
warnif count > 0 
from baseClass in JustMyCode.Types
where baseClass.IsClass && baseClass.NbChildren > 0 // <-- for optimization!
let derivedClassesUsed = baseClass.DerivedTypes.UsedBy(baseClass)
where derivedClassesUsed.Count() > 0
select new { baseClass, derivedClassesUsed }

- Avoid making complex methods even more complex (source code cyclomatic complexity):

// <Name>Avoid making complex methods even more complex (source code cyclomatic complexity)</Name>
warnif count > 0 
from m in JustMyCode.Methods where
 !m.IsAbstract &&
  m.IsPresentInBothBuilds() &&
  m.CodeWasChanged()
let oldCC = m.OlderVersion().CyclomaticComplexity
where oldCC > 6 && m.CyclomaticComplexity > oldCC 
select new { m,
    oldCC, 
    newCC = m.CyclomaticComplexity, 
    oldLoc = m.OlderVersion().NbLinesOfCode,
    newLoc = m.NbLinesOfCode,
}

Additionally, the tool proposes a live CQLinq query editor with code completion and embedded documentation.

See also

• Design Structure Matrix
• List of tools for static code analysis
• Software visualization

External links

• Official website