java PMD

Description: PMD checks for a long list of possibly bad programming practices and possible error conditions in source programs. My feeling about it is mixed -- it is undoubtedly very useful, but the number of warnings about things which were actually ok were excessive. Of course, what I should be doing it tuning the rules so it diagnoses what I think is important. I've used it from jEdit but found the interface difficult. "PMD has plugins for JDeveloper, JEdit, JBuilder, NetBeans/Sun ONE Studio, IntelliJ IDEA, TextPad, Maven, Ant, Eclipse, Gel, and Emacs."

• URL: pmd.sourceforge.net
• You can find a good article by Levent Gurses about PMD at Improving Code Quality with PMD and Eclipse. Altho this specifically describes the Eclips plugin, most of it applies equally well to other ways to use it, eg, the NetBeans plugin.
• Tom Copeland, author or PMD, has a book, PMD Applied, which is described as "an easy-to-use guide for developers".