Opinion

Code Quality Under Pressure: Supporting Developers With Qodana Integration in IntelliJ-based IDEs

Demands on developers are constantly increasing, and high-pressure deadlines often mean prioritizing quantity over quality, while being constantly asked to do more with less. 

Then there’s the challenge of context-switching when toggling between applications, such as your CI solution and IDE. With this in mind, it’s easy to see how even something as important as code quality can start to slip through the cracks here and there.

So, how do you get the support you need to reach deadlines realistically, focus on your work, and prioritize code quality as the critical component it is? The answer lies in using JetBrains Qodana. 

What is Qodana?

Qodana is a static code analysis platform that can help you improve code quality right from within your IDE. It helps professional software developers save time when validating code by automating code scans as a part of a CI pipeline. 

As a result, Qodana makes it easier to use quality gates in these pipelines and to ensure that code complies with the standards your team has defined. Qodana offers code inspections that are built on over 20 years of JetBrains’ experience in software development.

The inspections include, but aren’t limited to, security scans and third-party license audits, allowing developers to see the high-level state of the project, and quickly triage, prioritize, and address critical issues first. 

Getting started with static analysis is easy. If you’re new to Qodana, you can run the first scan right from the IDE and quickly see the results of the local checks. Next, you can use the CI Wizard to add Qodana to your pipeline. Let’s take a look at how to get started. 

Streamline setup with the Qodana IDE Plugin 

In the video below, Anton Arhipov (one of our Developer Advocates) walks you through the setup process for Qodana. Watch the video if you’d like step-by-step instructions.

In Anton’s demonstration, the IDE is IntelliJ IDEA. However, Qodana is bundled with many of your favorite IDEs out of the box. We currently support IntelliJ IDEA, PhpStorm, GoLand, Rider, WebStorm, and PyCharm. Other JetBrains IDEs will be added soon! 

You can also add Qodana to your CI/CD pipeline

The Qodana IDE Plugin can help you add Qodana to your CI pipeline for the early detection of issues. Go to the Tools menu, choose Qodana, and then Add Qodana to the CI pipeline. The wizard will then generate a configuration file for the CI server of your choice. For instance, you can just click the Add button for GitHub Actions, and the workflow configuration file will be created in the project. There are also helpers for other CI servers, such as TeamCity, GitLab CI/CD, Jenkins, and more. 

Stay in your IDE, access issues, and implement fixes faster

The Qodana IDE Plugin delivers results right into your IDE, highlighting problems directly in the code when you navigate through the issue report. You can also use Qodana to see failed checks and vulnerabilities straight away. 

Qodana can also notify you when a new code-scan report is ready in the CI Pipeline so you can start fixing flagged issues in your IDE. 

Reduce context-switching and app toggling for deeper focus

Your feedback has told us that switching between tabs often means losing focus, which can hinder performance, especially when you’re under pressure to deliver. Time is also wasted, as work takes longer to finish when you’re unable to focus, and businesses often fail to factor in enough time for quality feedback and implementing that feedback.

Solutions may seem limited when your to-do list is long and deadlines are strict. However, with instant access to Qodana via the plugin, you can tune out the noise that multitasking tends to create and stay fully “in the zone” while working. Both tools remain at your fingertips the entire time – you don’t ever have to leave your IDE.

You can also access Qodana reports within CI/CD systems like GitHub Actions or in Qodana Cloud and use the Open in IDE button for quick access. This means there are plenty of ways to centralize your coding tasks and highlight code quality while keeping the logistics simple. 

Ready to get started? 

Try Qodana’s free 60-day trial! Alternatively, get 50% off Qodana Ultimate Plus, which starts at just $7.50 per developer. If you have any questions or need assistance along the way, submit a ticket to our issue tracker in YouTrack by clicking on New Issue in the top right-hand corner of the screen or let us know in the comments. You can also tag us on Twitter or contact us at qodana-support@jetbrains.com.

Try Qodana for free!