Static analysis...

When it comes to software development, the old adage is best spun in a slightly different way: better "early" than never. Accordingly, static analysis can help those developing in Java to stay one step ahead of potential coding problems.

Today’s software development teams are under immense pressure; the market demands high-quality, secure releases at a constantly increasing pace while security threats become more and more sophisticated. Considering the high cost of product failures and security breaches, it is more important than ever to address these risks throughout the software development process. Potential problems need to be spotted early to prevent release delays or, worse, post-release failures.
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refer to: http://embedded-computing.com/articles/static-helps-manage-risk-java/