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EDN Europe's Editor Graham Prophet posts a selection of comments and insights prompted by the many items of industry news and rumour that cross the editorial desk or are gathered on his frequent travels to interviews, press conferences and events around Europe - and further afield - and somehow never find their way to the magazine or the web site, recovering some of the information otherwise lost in the noise level...

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Software coding standards

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Whenever someone sends out the results of a survey of practice or opinion, the first questions to be asked include, “Where is the vested interest?” So, in a small survey of opinions on software coding standards, I have to note that the company that commissioned the work, PRQA, isn’t exactly a disinterested party: PRQA
writes static analysis tools to ensure compliance to coding standards.

Having said that, what did they find? In a telephone survey of 219 embedded-system engineers in several European countries, when asked about their use of coding standards, 74% of respondents stated that they made use of coding standards, but only 35% of made use of static analysis tools that would ensure software engineers adhered to the standards.

This, the survey’s promoters conclude, shows that embedded engineers are widely using coding standards, but failing to use tools that will allow them to enforce the use of these standards, relying on trust and manual checks.

“Manual code inspection and relying on trust has been shown to be a very ineffective way of enforcing coding standards,” says PRQA.

Just so.

The company adds emphasis to its message, saying, “it is good news that the message about the benefits of coding standards has been taken on board by the majority of embedded development teams…only a third of companies use tools to ensure standards are observed…tools ensure compliance [and] a consistent interpretation of the standard.”

I leave you to separate out the obvious vested interest in this one, but I can’t say I am greatly surprised. Cause for concern, or more-or-less what you would have expected?

Related entries in: Processors/ Software/ Tools |

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