How to: Enforce Maintainable Code with a Code Analysis Check-in Policy

  • Article

Developers can use the Code Metrics tool to measure the complexity and maintainability of their code, but they cannot invoke code metrics as part of a check-in policy. However, a team can enable Code Analysis rules that verify the compliance of their code with Code Metrics standards and enforce the rules through check-in policies. For more information about code metrics, see the Code Metrics Values.

Developers can enable the Depth of Inheritance, Class Coupling, Maintainability Index, and Complexity rules to enforce maintainable code through Code Analysis check-in policies. All four of these rules are found under the "Maintainability Rules" category in the Code Analysis policy editor.

Administrators of version control for Team Foundation can add the Code Analysis Maintainability Rules to the check-in policy requirements. These check-in policies require developers to run Code Analysis based on these rule changes before initiating a check-in.

To open the Code Analysis Policy Editor

  1. In Team Explorer, right-click the team project, click Team Project Settings, and then click Source Control.

    The Source Control dialog box appears.

  2. On the Check-in Policy tab, and click Add.

    The Add Check-in Policy dialog box appears.

  3. In the Check-in Policy list, select the Code Analysis check box, and then click OK.

    The Code Analysis Policy Editor dialog box appears.

To enable Code Analysis Maintainability Rules

  1. In the Code Analysis Policy Editor dialog box, under Rule Settings, expand the Maintainability Rules node.

  2. Select the check boxes for the following rules:

    • Depth of Inheritance: CA1501 AvoidExcessiveInheritance - Threshold: Warning at more than 5 levels deep

    • Complexity: CA1502 AvoidExcessiveComplexity - Threshold: Warning at more than 25

    • Maintainability Index: CA1505 AvoidUnmaintainableCode - Threshold: Warning at fewer than 20

    • Class Coupling: CA1506 AvoidExcessiveClassCoupling - Threshold: Warning at more than 80 for a class and more than 30 for a method

    • In addition, if you want a rule violation to prevent a build, select the Treat Warning As An Error check box next to the rule description.

  3. Click OK. The new check-in policy now applies to future check-ins.

See Also

Concepts

Code Metrics Values

Other Resources

Creating and Using Code Analysis Check-In Policies