6 Tips for Maximizing Productivity with Code Scanning Tools

Code scanning tools are a critical aspect of a complete DevSecOps approach that expedites code reviews and enables teams to quickly produce reliable applications and updates.

Why It Matters: Manual code reviews are extremely time-consuming and prone to error. Automating these processes allows your team to focus on pushing DevOps projects to production.

• Applications are liable to have thousands of lines of code.
• Time spent manually reviewing code can be better used on less repetitive tasks.

Here are 6 tips for leveraging code scanning tools to increase the productivity of your Salesforce DevOps team:

1. Get a Tool with the Most Rules
2. Schedule Regular Scans
3. Prioritize Results
4. Provide Ample Training
5. Monitor Progress
6. Integrate It in Your CI/CD Pipeline

1. Get a Tool with the Most Rules

The code scanning tool you use to address your Salesforce code will have a huge impact on the results you see. It’s essential to find a tool with the most rules for your coding environment. Code is checked against a set of internal rules. Any violations are flagged so the developer can quickly fix them.

Source a tool with rules dedicated to your environment along with the ability to add custom rulesets to address your unique needs.

Applicable rules will help your team enforce coding standards and security policies while adhering to internal best practices.

Back to top

2. Schedule Regular Scans

Consistency is key to creating reliable results. And when it comes to scanning code, your team needs to schedule a regular cadence of automated scans to ensure your quality, security, and productivity requirements are consistently met.

Code scans can be scheduled after predetermined evens, such as code commits or pull requests, to maintain quality and prevent issues from accumulating over time.

These standards can be adjusted over time as your team finds better ways to approach its DevOps processes. Establishing protocols gives everyone a baseline to work from so they can expedite planning phases and get to work.

Back to top

3. Prioritize Results

Code scanning tools come with a lot of predefined rules. CodeScan, for example, has more than 3,100 rules—800 of them specific to Salesforce. This means your team is going to receive a lot of information when scanning large amounts of code. There need to be standards to identify which flags to address first.

Prioritize highlighted issues based on severity and impact on the application. Critical issues should be addressed first to mitigate potential risks.

Putting together a hierarchy of alerts clears up confusion and enables your team to quickly resolve critical issues without time wasted on less important results.

Back to top

4. Provide Ample Training

Team members with questions are going to either spend time looking for answers to those questions or make mistakes, which will inevitably lead to redundant work. Confusion limits productivity. And the best way to mitigate confusion is with information.

Offer training sessions and provide ample documentation on how to use your code scanning tools, interpret scan results, and address identified issues.

This up-front investment in your team will pay off in the long run. However, it’s important to remember that all new team members will need to be provided with this information to ensure continued success.

Back to top

5. Monitor Progress

Your Salesforce DevOps pipeline is going to evolve over time. New tools and processes will be integrated. New threats and vulnerabilities are going to be found. And new expectations will grow alongside your organization. You need to make sure your code scanning tools are being used in accordance with these changes.

Monitor the effectiveness of code scanning by tracking metrics such as the number of issues identified and resolved, as well as recurring issues over time.

This data can be used to improve your development processes and evolve along with your changing needs.

Back to top

6. Integrate It in Your CI/CD Pipeline

A comprehensive DevSecOps approach will provide the greatest benefits. Security, quality, and productivity are all made possible when the application lifecycle is supported from all sides by specialized tools.

Code scanning tools offer the greatest benefits when used in alignment with other DevOps tools like continuous integration (CI) and continuous deployment (CD) tools.

Utilizing a complete DevSecOps suite is the best way to ensure your tools work together seamlessly. AutoRABIT is the only Salesforce DevSecOps platform built specifically to address the heightened needs of regulated industries.

Back to top

Next Step…

Expanding the capabilities of your Salesforce DevOps team with automated tools helps increase release velocity, but it also impacts your ability to create clean, safe code.

Check out this infographic that explains 7 Tips for Using Code Scan Tools to Improve Data Security.

Back to top

FAQs

What’s more important in Salesforce DevOps: productivity or security?

There is no clear answer to this question, but as with everything else in life, erring on the side of caution is advised. Data security threats are continuously changing and so must your strategy. However, this question is also a little misleading because productivity and security don’t have to come at the expense of the other. Often, the tools and methods you use to increase productivity will also strengthen security measures. Automated DevOps tools like static code analysis enable your team to quickly produce reliable code that prevents data security vulnerabilities from appearing in the first place.

Which code scanning tool is right for me?

There are many automated code scanner options on the market. The available rulesets, customizability, and reliability of the tool will all need to factor into your decision on which tool to choose. Another huge requirement to consider is how the tool will integrate into your DevSecOps platform. Sourcing a tool that already sits within a comprehensive Salesforce DevSecOps platform ensures all of the functionalities will communicate with your CI/CD tools, so nothing slips between the cracks. Weigh these considerations against each other to find the tool that best fits your needs.

How can I make sure my developers are using our code scanning tools correctly?

It’s up to management to give developers the support they need to properly use DevOps tools. Comprehensive training sessions will be needed to familiarize your team with the tool’s features and best practices. Encourage a culture of accountability by regularly reviewing scan results with team members and discussing any identified issues. By fostering awareness, providing support, and implementing checks, you can help ensure that your developers effectively leverage code scanning tools to enhance code quality and security.

Back to top