README.md

# [CodeChecker](http://github.com/Ericsson/CodeChecker/) C++ Static Analysis action

GitHub Action to execute static analysis over C-family projects (C, C++,
Objective-C) using the [Clang](http://clang.llvm.org/) infrastructure and
[CodeChecker](http://github.com/Ericsson/CodeChecker/) as its driver.

## Overview

⚠️ **CAUTION! This action has been written with commands that target Ubuntu-based distributions!**

This single action composite script encompasses the following steps:

  1. Obtain a package of the LLVM Clang suite's analysers, and CodeChecker.
  2. _(Optional)_ Log the build commands to prepare for analysis.
  3. Execute the analysis.
  4. Show the analysis results in the CI log, and create HTML reports that can be uploaded as an artefact.

ℹ️ **Note:** Static analysis can be a time-consuming process.
It's recommended that the static analysis step is not sequential with the rest of a CI execution, but either runs as its own job in a workflow, or a completely distinct workflow altogether.

Please ensure that your project is completely configured for a build before executing this action.

ℹ️ **Note:** Static analysers can rely on additional information that is optimised out in a true release build.
Hence, it's recommended to configure your project in a **`Debug`** configuration.

Add the job into your CI as follows.
The two versions are mutually exclusive &mdash; you either can give a compilation database, or you instruct CodeChecker to create one.

### Projects that can generate a [JSON Compilation Database](http://clang.llvm.org/docs/JSONCompilationDatabase.html) and build cleanly (no generated code)

Some projects are trivial enough in their build configuration that no additional steps need to be taken after executing `configure.sh`, `cmake`, or similar tools.
If you are able to generate a _compilation database_ from your build system **without** running the build itself, you can save some time, and go to the analysis immediately.

You can specify the generated compilation database in the `logfile` variable 

```yaml
runs:
  steps:
    # Check YOUR project out!
    - name: "Check out repository"
      uses: actions/checkout@v2

    # Prepare a build
    - name: "Prepare build"
      run: |
        mkdir -pv Build
        cd Build
        cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug -DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS=ON

    # Run the analysis
    - uses: whisperity/codechecker-analysis-action
      id: codechecker
      with:
        logfile: ${{ github.workspace }}/Build/compile_commands.json

    # Upload the results to the CI.
    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
      with:
        name: "CodeChecker Bug Reports"
        path: ${{ steps.codechecker.outputs.result-html-dir }}
```

### Projects that need to self-creating a *JSON Compilation Database* or require generated code

Other kinds of projects might rely heavily on _generated code_.
When looking at the source code of these projects **without** a build having been executed beforehand, they do not compile &mdash; as such, analysis cannot be executed either.

In this case, you will need to instruct CodeChecker to log a build (and spend time doing the build) just before analysis.

You can specify the build to execute in the `build-command` variable.

```yaml
runs:
  steps:
    # Check YOUR project out!
    - name: "Check out repository"
      uses: actions/checkout@v2

    # Prepare a build
    - name: "Prepare build"
      run: |
        mkdir -pv Build
        cd Build
        cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug -DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS=OFF

    # Run the analysis
    - uses: whisperity/codechecker-analysis-action
      id: codechecker
      with:
        build-command: "cd ${{ github.workspace }}/Build; cmake --build ."

    # Upload the results to the CI.
    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
      with:
        name: "CodeChecker Bug Reports"
        path: ${{ steps.codechecker.outputs.result-html-dir }}
```


## Action configuration

| Variable | Default                             | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|----------|-------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `config` | `$(project-root)/.codechecker.json` | The configuration file containing flags to be appended to the analysis commands. It is recommended that most of the analysis configuration is versioned with the project. 🔖 Read more about the [`codechecker.json`](http://codechecker.readthedocs.io/en/latest/analyzer/user_guide/#configuration-file) configuration file in the official documentation. |

### Versions to install

| Variable       | Default                                                          | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|----------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `repository`   | [`Ericsson/CodeChecker`](http://github.com/Ericsson/CodeChecker) | The CodeChecker repository to check out and build                                                                                                                                                              |
| `version`      | `master`                                                         | The branch, tag, or commit SHA in the `repository` to use.                                                                                                                                                     |
| `llvm-version` | `latest`                                                         | The major version of LLVM to install and use. LLVM is installed from [PPA](http://apt.llvm.org/). If `latest`, automatically gather the latest version. If `ignore`, don't install anything. (Not recommended) |

### Build log configuration

🔖 Read more about [`CodeChecker log`](http://codechecker.readthedocs.io/en/latest/analyzer/user_guide/#log) in the official documentation.

| Variable        | Default | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|-----------------|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `logfile`       |         | The location of the JSON Compilation Database which describes how the project is built. This flag is used if the build system can pre-generate the file for us.                                                                      |
| `build-command` |         | The build command to execute. CodeChecker is capable of executing and logging the build for itself. This flag is used if the build-system can not generate the information by itself, or the project relies on other generated code. |

### Analysis configuration

🔖 Read more about [`CodeChecker analyze`](http://codechecker.readthedocs.io/en/latest/analyzer/user_guide/#analyze) in the official documentation.


| Variable         | Default          | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|------------------|------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `analyze-output` | (auto-generated) | The directory where the **raw** analysis output should be stored.                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| `ctu`            | `false`          | Enable [Cross Translation Unit analysis](http://clang.llvm.org/docs/analyzer/user-docs/CrossTranslationUnit.html) in the _Clang Static Analyzer_. ⚠️ **CAUTION!** _CTU_ analysis might take a very long time, and CTU is officially regarded as experimental. |

### Report configuration

🔖 Read more about [`CodeChecker parse`](http://codechecker.readthedocs.io/en/latest/analyzer/user_guide/#parse) in the official documentation.

ℹ️ **Note:** Due to static analysis being potentially noisy and the reports being unwieldy to fix, the default behaviour is to only report the findings but do not break the CI.


| Variable                | Default | Description                                                                                       |
|-------------------------|---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `fail-build-if-reports` | `false` | If set to `true`, the build will be set to broken if the static analysers reports _any_ findings. |

### Store settings

🔖 Read more about [`CodeChecker store`](http://codechecker.readthedocs.io/en/latest/web/user_guide/#store) in the official documentation.


| Variable         | Default                                                 | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `store`          | `false`                                                 | If set to `true`, the script will upload the findings to a CodeChecker server. Usually, other flags need to be configured too!                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| `store-url`      |                                                         | The URL of the CodeChecker product to store to, **including** the [endpoint](http://codechecker.readthedocs.io/en/latest/web/user_guide/#product_url-format). Usually in the format of `http://example.com/ProductName`. Specifying this variable is **required** if `store` was set to `true`.                                 |
| `store-username` |                                                         | If the server requires authentication to access, specify the username which the upload should log in with.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| `store-password` |                                                         | The password or [generated access token](http://codechecker.readthedocs.io/en/latest/web/authentication/#personal-access-token) corresponding to the user. 🔐 **Note:** It is recommended that this is configured as a repository secret, and given as such: `${{ secrets.CODECHECKER_PASSWORD }}` when configuring the action. |
| `store-run-name` | (auto-generated, in the format `user/repo: branchname`) | CodeChecker analysis executions are collected into _runs_. A run usually correlates to one configuration of the analysis. Runs can be stored incrementally, in which case CodeChecker is able to annotate that reports got fixed.                                                                                               |

## Action *`outputs`* to use in further steps

The action exposes the following outputs which may be used in a workflow's steps succeeding the analysis.

| Variable          | Value                                     | Description                                                                                  |
|-------------------|-------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `analyze-output`  | Auto-generated, or `analyze-output` input | The directory where the **raw** analysis output files are available.                         |
| `logfile`         | Auto-generated, or `logfile` input        | The JSON Compilation Database of the analysis that was executed.                             |
| `result-html-dir` | Auto-generated.                           | The directory where the **user-friendly HTML** bug reports were generated to.                |
| `result-log`      | Auto-generated.                           | `CodeChecker parse`'s output log file which contains the findings dumped into it.            |
| `store-run-name`  | Auto-generated, or `store-run-name` input | The name of the analysis run (if `store` was enabled) to which the results were uploaded to. |
| `warnings`        | `true` or `false`                         | Whether the static analysers reported any findings.                                          |