[IronPython] Code Quality Tools

[Michael Foord]

Hello all,

At Resolver we are looking into tools that we can use to provide simple 
code hygiene checks. Check we're not shadowing built-in names, check for 
unneeded import statements and unused variables; that sort of thing.

I know of three Python modules that do this. They all fail unredeemably 
on  IronPython :

* PyLint

    Uses the compiler.ast module extensively

* PyChecker

    Does bytecode analysis

* PyFlakes

    Uses compiler.parse

(See also the previous email about coverage tools not working on 
IronPython because "sys.settrace" is not implemented.)

We can use PyFlakes from CPython (and possbily PyLint- but not PyChecker 
because it executes code), but that means our test code is dependent on 
CPython.

So there are no native code quality tools that will work with 
IronPython. This could be a barrier to entry for some projects who 
consider using IronPython.

I realise it is not going to be high up the priority list, but if a 
solution to this was possible it would be good.

One possibility is a pure Python ports of the parser module (which 
should get the compiler and compiler.ast modules working). There is a 
tool called EasyExtend which can generate CSTs in Pure Python, so it 
could be possible to convert one of the existing tools to use this.

All the best,


Michael Foord
http://www.resolversystems.com
http://www.voidspace.org.uk/python/index.shtml