scan-build:tldr:6ef72

The scan-build command is a tool provided by Clang, a compiler front-end for the C, C++, and Objective-C programming languages.

When running the scan-build command, it analyzes your C/C++ code to detect potential bugs, security vulnerabilities, and other issues that can lead to software defects. It performs static code analysis, which means that it examines the code without executing it, identifying potential problems by analyzing the structure, syntax, and semantics of the code.

scan-build can help you identify issues such as null pointer dereferences, buffer overflows, memory leaks, uninitialized variables, and other types of programming mistakes. It can be particularly useful for finding bugs and vulnerabilities early in the development process, allowing you to fix them before they cause problems in the deployed software.

The scan-build command works by intercepting the compilation process. Instead of directly invoking the compiler, you use scan-build as a wrapper around your usual build commands. It inserts itself into the build process and collects information about the code being compiled. It can then analyze this information to generate reports and provide you with bug-finding diagnostics.

By default, scan-build generates reports in HTML format, highlighting the issues it found in your code. These reports can be viewed in a web browser, making it easy to navigate through the identified issues. Additionally, scan-build can also generate reports in other formats, such as XML or CSV, allowing for integration with other tools and processes.

Overall, scan-build is a valuable tool for improving the quality and security of your C/C++ code by helping you catch potential issues early in the development cycle. It provides an efficient way to perform static analysis and gain insights into potential bugs and vulnerabilities.