Tuning Java analysis

A knowledge base file is the mechanism used to customize specific checkers by providing Java Path checkers with more context about your code system in order to:

  • reduce false positives in Klocwork analysis results, or
  • increase the reporting of specific issues of concern

Using a Java knowledge base file (.jkb), you 'mark up' your source to provide these checkers with the context they need to:

  • evaluate the validity of a particular issue along specified code paths to reduce false positives, or
  • identify code paths that need to be taken into consideration to detect issues of interest that were previously undetected (false negatives).

Java Path knowledge base files are written in JKB format, which is a Java-like declarative language for knowledge base specification.

To reduce false positives, the traceback feature in Klocwork analysis results helps you pinpoint the source to include in your .jkb file in order to achieve your objective.

Tuning to reduce false positives is by far the most common tuning scenario. Tuning to reduce false negatives is more of an extensibility activity. For more information about creating your own Java Path checkers, see Creating Java Path checkers.

Restriction: Tuning is only available for Java Path checkers.

For your tuning changes to take effect, you need to run a full build analysis.