FxCop

What is FxCop?

FxCop is a free code analysis tool developed by Microsoft, use to analyze MSIL (Microsoft Intermediate Language) generated from any managed language (including C# and VB.NET).

FxCop is a standalone .NET 2.0 application, downloadable from the locations referenced below. A modified version of the FxCop codebase is integrated into Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 and 2008. While the rulebase for each is mostly the same, there are notable differences between the two (see the Rules comparison spreadsheet below), and the compiled format for custom rules is different; thus, one cannot generally develop custom rules that can be used natively in both contexts.

References

• Download - FxCop v1.35
• Download - FxCop v1.36 (beta)
• Download - Rules comparison spreadsheet - documenting the rules differences between those shipped with FxCop and the Visual Studio Code Analysis feature
• Forum - Visual Studio Code Analysis and Code Metrics - MSDN forum to discuss issues and ideas regarding FxCop and the Visual Studio Code Analysis feature
• Blog - Microsoft Code Analysis Team blog - addresses both the standalone FxCop tool as well as the Visual Studio Code Analysis feature
• Blog - Dave's Box - personal blog written by a member of Microsoft's Code Analysis team
• CodePlex project - JSL FxCop - open-source utility to help build custom FxCop rules
• CodePlex project - Lephone FxCop Rules - simple set of custom rules and the source code to create them
• CodePlex project - Community Static Analysis Rules - "a community-based project for creating a set of static analysis rules to extend those provided by the FxCop team."
• CodePlex project - FxCop Delta - "a custom check-in policy for Visual Studio Team System that runs FxCop rules before performing a check-in."
• CodePlex project - FinRad Statistics Collector for FxCop - "...intended to help development teams to track the progress of an FxCop backlog cleanup effort."