Analyzing User Sentiments Towards Static Analysis Tools: A Study Using User Reviews

In the software development landscape, static analysis tools (SATs) play a crucial role in ensuring code quality and adherence to coding standards. Understanding user sentiments towards these tools is essential for improving their effectiveness and usability. In this study, we conduct sentiment analysis on user reviews of four prominent SATs: SonarQube, Findbugs, Checkstyle and PMD. We collect and analyze user feedback from various online platforms to gain insights into user perceptions, preferences, and challenges associated with these tools. Our analysis reveals valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of these four tools from the user’s perspective, providing valuable feedback for developers and tool maintainers. Through natural language processing techniques, we classify user sentiments into positive, negative, and neutral categories, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of user experiences. This research contributes to the enhancement of static analysis tools by incorporating user feedback into future developments.