NDepend

NDepend is a static analysis tool for C# and .NET code to manage code quality and security. The tool proposes a large number of features, from CI/CD Web Reporting to Quality Gate and Dependencies Visualization. For that reason, the community refers to it as the "Swiss Army Knife" for .NET Developers.

NDepend

Developer(s)	NDepend
Stable release	2024.1
Operating system	Windows
Type	Software quality
License	Commercial, Proprietary
Website	ndepend.com

Features

NDepend Report Source Files List

The main features of NDepend are:

• Interactive Web Reports about all Aspects of .NET Code Quality and Security Sample Reports Here. Reports can be built on any platform: Windows, Linux and MacOS
• [Roslyn Analyzers Issues Import https://www.ndepend.com/docs/reporting-roslyn-analyzers-issues]
• Quality Gates
• CI/CD Integration with Azure DevOps, GitHub Action,Bamboo, Jenkins, TeamCity, AppVeyor
• Dependency Visualization (using dependency graphs, and dependency matrix)
• Smart Technical Debt Estimation
• Declarative code rule over C# LINQ query (CQLinq).
• Software Metrics (NDepend currently supports more than 100 code metrics: Cyclomatic complexity; Afferent and Efferent Coupling; Relational Cohesion; Google page rank of .NET types; Percentage of code covered by tests, etc.)
• Code Coverage data import from Visual Studio coverage, dotCover, OpenCover, NCover, NCrunch.
• All results are compared against a baseline allowing the user to focus on newly identified issues.
• Integration with Visual Studio 2022, 2019, 2017, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2010, or can run as a standalone through VisualNDepend.exe, side by side with JetBrains Rider or Visual Studio Code.

Code rules through LINQ queries (CQLinq)

Live code queries and code rules through LINQ queries is the backbone of NDepend, all features use it extensively. Here are some sample code queries:

• Base class should not use derivatives:

 // <Name>Base class should not use derivatives</Name>
 warnif count > 0 
 from baseClass in JustMyCodeTypes
 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 JustMyCodeMethods 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 provides 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
• Sourcetrail

External links

• Official website

NDepend reviewed by the .NET community

• Exiting The Zone Of Pain: Static Analysis with NDepend.aspx (Program Manager, Microsoft) discusses NDepend
• Stack Overflow discussion: use of NDepend
• Abhishek Sur, on NDepend
• NDepend code metrics by Andre Loker
• Static analysis with NDepend by Henry Cordes
• Hendry Luk discusses Continuous software quality with NDepend
• Jim Holmes (Author of the book "Windows Developer Power Tools"), on NDepend.
• Mário Romano discusses Metrics and Dependency Matrix with NDepend
• Nates Stuff review
• Scott Mitchell (MSDN Magazine), Code Exploration using NDepend
• Travis Illig on NDepend

Books that mention NDepend

• Girish Suryanarayana, Ganesh Samarthyam, and Tushar Sharma. Refactoring for Software Design Smells: Managing Technical Debt (2014)
• Marcin Kawalerowicz and Craig Berntson. Continuous Integration in .NET (2010)
• James Avery and Jim Holmes. Windows developer power tools (2006)
• Patrick Cauldwell and Scott Hanselman. Code Leader: Using People, Tools, and Processes to Build Successful Software (2008)
• Yogesh Shetty and Samir Jayaswal. Practical .NET for financial markets (2006)
• Paul Duvall. Continuous Integration (2007)
• Rick Leinecker and Vanessa L. Williams. Visual Studio 2008 All-In-One Desk Reference For Dummies (2008)
• Patrick Smacchia. Practical .Net 2 and C# 2: Harness the Platform, the Language, the Framework (2006)