From: Anna Zaks <ganna@apple.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2011 05:36:29 +0000 (+0000)
Subject: [analyzer] Add overview and checker registration to the checker developer manual.
X-Git-Url: https://granicus.if.org/sourcecode?a=commitdiff_plain;h=464ef2e2dcbaf03c8a19ce116fb5e5d64bc210e8;p=clang

[analyzer] Add overview and checker registration to the checker developer manual.

git-svn-id: https://llvm.org/svn/llvm-project/cfe/trunk@143911 91177308-0d34-0410-b5e6-96231b3b80d8
---

diff --git a/www/analyzer/checker_dev_manual.html b/www/analyzer/checker_dev_manual.html
index b31b11b477..c079f33d6d 100644
--- a/www/analyzer/checker_dev_manual.html
+++ b/www/analyzer/checker_dev_manual.html
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@ for general developer guidelines and information. </p>
 
     <ul>
       <li><a href="#start">Getting Started</a></li>
-      <li><a href="#analyzer">Static Analyzer Overview</a></li>
+      <li><a href="#analyzer">Analyzer Overview</a></li>
       <li><a href="#idea">Idea for a Checker</a></li>
+      <li><a href="#registration">Checker Registration</a></li>
       <li><a href="#skeleton">Checker Skeleton</a></li>
       <li><a href="#node">Exploded Node</a></li>
       <li><a href="#bugs">Bug Reports</a></li>
@@ -40,16 +41,19 @@ for general developer guidelines and information. </p>
 
 <h2 id=start>Getting Started</h2>
   <ul>
-    <li>To check out the source code and build the project, follow steps 1-4 of the <a href="http://clang.llvm.org/get_started.html">Clang Getting Started</a> 
+    <li>To check out the source code and build the project, follow steps 1-4 of 
+    the <a href="http://clang.llvm.org/get_started.html">Clang Getting Started</a> 
   page.</li>
 
     <li>The analyzer source code is located under the Clang source tree:
     <br><tt>
     $ <b>cd llvm/tools/clang</b>
     </tt>
-    <br>See: <tt>include/clang/StaticAnalyzer</tt>, <tt>lib/StaticAnalyzer</tt>, <tt>test/Analysis</tt>.</li>
+    <br>See: <tt>include/clang/StaticAnalyzer</tt>, <tt>lib/StaticAnalyzer</tt>,
+     <tt>test/Analysis</tt>.</li>
 
-    <li>The analyzer regression tests can be executed from the Clang's build directory:
+    <li>The analyzer regression tests can be executed from the Clang's build 
+    directory:
     <br><tt>
     $ <b>cd ../../../; cd build/tools/clang; TESTDIRS=Analysis make test</b>
     </tt></li>
@@ -64,7 +68,8 @@ for general developer guidelines and information. </p>
     $ <b>clang -cc1 -analyzer-checker-help</b>
     </tt></li>
 
-    <li>See the analyzer help for different output formats, fine tuning, and debug options:
+    <li>See the analyzer help for different output formats, fine tuning, and 
+    debug options:
     <br><tt>
     $ <b>clang -cc1 -help | grep "analyzer"</b>
     </tt></li>
@@ -72,45 +77,126 @@ for general developer guidelines and information. </p>
   </ul>
  
 <h2 id=analyzer>Static Analyzer Overview</h2>
-  ExplidedGraph, ExplodedNode (ProgramPoint, State)<br>
-  Engine-Checker Interaction<br>
-  Symbols<br>
+  The analyzer core performs symbolic execution of the given program. All the 
+  input values are represented with symbolic values; further, the engine deduces 
+  the values of all the expressions in the program based on the input symbols  
+  and the path. The execution is path sensitive and every possible path through 
+  the program is explored. The explored execution traces are represented with 
+  <a href="http://clang.llvm.org/doxygen/classclang_1_1ento_1_1ExplodedGraph.html">ExplidedGraph</a> object. 
+  Each node of the graph is 
+  <a href="http://clang.llvm.org/doxygen/classclang_1_1ento_1_1ExplodedNode.html">ExplodedNode</a>, 
+  which consists of a <tt>ProgramPoint</tt> and a <tt>ProgramState</tt>.
+  <p>
+  <a href="http://clang.llvm.org/doxygen/classclang_1_1ProgramPoint.html">ProgramPoint</a> 
+  represents the corresponding location in the program (or the CFG graph). 
+  <tt>ProgramPoint</tt> is also used to record additional information on 
+  when/how the state was added. For example, <tt>PostPurgeDeadSymbolsKind</tt> 
+  kind means that the state is the result of purging dead symbols - the 
+  analyzer's equivalent of garbage collection. 
+  <p>
+  <a href="http://clang.llvm.org/doxygen/classclang_1_1ento_1_1ProgramState.html">ProgramState</a> 
+  represents abstract state of the program. It consists of:
+  <ul>
+    <li><tt>Environment</tt> - a mapping from source code expressions to symbolic 
+    values
+    <li><tt>Store</tt> - a mapping from memory locations to symbolic values
+    <li><tt>GenericDataMap</tt> - constraints on symbolic values
+  </ul>
   
-
+  <p>
+  Checkers are not merely passive receivers of the analyzer core changes - they 
+  actively participate in the <tt>ProgramState</tt> construction through the
+  <tt>GenericDataMap</tt> which can be used to store the checker-defined part 
+  of the state. Each time the analyzer engine explores a new statement, it 
+  notifies each checker registered to listen for that statement, giving it an 
+  opportunity to either report a bug or modify the state. (As a rule of thumb, 
+  the checker itself should be stateless.) The checkers are called one after another 
+  in the predefined order; thus, calling all the checkers adds a chain to the 
+  <tt>ExplodedGraph</tt>. 
+  <!-- 
+  TODO: Add a picture.
+  <br>
+  Symbols<br>
+  FunctionalObjects are used throughout.  
+  -->
 <h2 id=idea>Idea for a Checker</h2>
-  Here are several questions which you should consider when evaluating your checker idea:
+  Here are several questions which you should consider when evaluating your 
+  checker idea:
   <ul>
-    <li>Can the check be effectively implemented without path-sensitive analysis? See <a href="#ast">AST Visitors</a>.</li>
+    <li>Can the check be effectively implemented without path-sensitive 
+    analysis? See <a href="#ast">AST Visitors</a>.</li>
     
     <li>How high the false positive rate is going to be? Looking at the occurrences 
-    of the issue you want to write a checker for in the existing code bases might give you some 
-    ideas. </li>
+    of the issue you want to write a checker for in the existing code bases might 
+    give you some ideas. </li>
     
     <li>How the current limitations of the analysis will effect the false alarm 
     rate? Currently, the analyzer only reasons about one procedure at a time (no 
-    inter-procedural analysis). Also, it uses a simple range tracking based solver to model symbolic 
-    execution.</li>
+    inter-procedural analysis). Also, it uses a simple range tracking based 
+    solver to model symbolic execution.</li>
     
     <li>Consult the <a href="http://llvm.org/bugs/buglist.cgi?query_format=advanced&bug_status=NEW&bug_status=REOPENED&version=trunk&component=Static%20Analyzer&product=clang">Bugzilla database</a> 
     to get some ideas for new checkers and consider starting with improving/fixing  
     bugs in the existing checkers.</li>
   </ul>
 
+<h2 id=registration>Checker Registration</h2>
+  All checker implementation files are located in <tt>clang/lib/StaticAnalyzer/Checkers</tt> 
+  folder. Follow the steps below to register a new checker with the analyzer.
+<ol>
+  <li>Create a new checker implementation file, for example <tt>./lib/StaticAnalyzer/Checkers/NewChecker.cpp</tt>
+<pre class="code_example">
+using namespace clang;
+using namespace ento;
+
+namespace {
+class NewChecker: public Checker< check::PreStmt<CallExpr> > {
+public:
+  void checkPreStmt(const CallExpr *CE, CheckerContext &Ctx) const {}
+}
+}
+void ento::registerNewChecker(CheckerManager &mgr) {
+  mgr.registerChecker<NewChecker>();
+}
+</pre>
+
+<li>Pick the package name for your checker and add the registration code to 
+<tt>./lib/StaticAnalyzer/Checkers/Checkers.td</tt>. Note, all checkers should 
+first be developed as experimental. Suppose our new checker performs security 
+related checks, then we should add the following lines under 
+<tt>SecurityExperimental</tt> package: 
+<pre class="code_example">
+let ParentPackage = SecurityExperimental in {
+...
+def NewChecker : Checker<"NewChecker">,
+  HelpText<"This text should give a short description of the checks performed.">,
+  DescFile<"NewChecker.cpp">;
+...
+} // end "security.experimental"
+</pre>
+
+<li>Make the source code file visible to CMake by adding it to 
+<tt>./lib/StaticAnalyzer/Checkers/CMakeLists.txt</tt>.
+
+<li>Compile and see your checker in the list of available checkers by running:<br>
+<tt><b>$clang -cc1 -analyzer-checker-help</b></tt>
+</ol>
+   
+
 <h2 id=skeleton>Checker Skeleton</h2>
-  The source code for all the checkers goes into <tt>clang/lib/StaticAnalyzer/Checkers</tt>.<p>
   There are two main decisions you need to make:
   <ul>
     <li> Which events the checker should be tracking.</li>
-    <li> What data you want to store as part of the checker-specific program state. Try to minimize the checker state as much as possible. </li>
+    <li> What data you want to store as part of the checker-specific program 
+    state. Try to minimize the checker state as much as possible. </li>
   </ul>
-   Describe the registration process.
 
 <h2 id=bugs>Bug Reports</h2>
 
 <h2 id=ast>AST Visitors</h2>
   Some checks might not require path-sensitivity to be effective. Simple AST walk 
-  might be sufficient. If that is the case, consider implementing a Clang compiler warning. 
-  On the other hand, a check might not be acceptable as a compiler 
+  might be sufficient. If that is the case, consider implementing a Clang 
+  compiler warning. On the other hand, a check might not be acceptable as a compiler 
   warning; for example, because of a relatively high false positive rate. In this 
   situation, AST callbacks <tt><b>checkASTDecl</b></tt> and 
   <tt><b>checkASTCodeBody</b></tt> are your best friends. 
@@ -126,7 +212,8 @@ for general developer guidelines and information. </p>
 <h2 id=commands>Useful Commands/Debugging Hints</h2>
 <ul>
 <li>
-While investigating a checker-related issue, instruct the analyzer to only execute a single checker:
+While investigating a checker-related issue, instruct the analyzer to only 
+execute a single checker:
 <br><tt>
 $ <b>clang -cc1 -analyze -analyzer-checker=osx.KeychainAPI test.c</b>
 </tt>
@@ -150,19 +237,26 @@ $ <b>clang -cc1 -analyzer-checker-help | grep "debug"</b>
 </tt>
 </li>
 <li>
-To see which function is failing while processing a large file use <tt>-analyzer-display-progress</tt> option.
+To see which function is failing while processing a large file use 
+<tt>-analyzer-display-progress</tt> option.
 </li>
 <li>
-While debugging execute <tt>clang -cc1 -analyze -analyzer-checker=core</tt> instead of <tt>clang --analyze</tt>, as the later would call the compiler in a separate process.
+While debugging execute <tt>clang -cc1 -analyze -analyzer-checker=core</tt> 
+instead of <tt>clang --analyze</tt>, as the later would call the compiler 
+in a separate process.
 </li>
 <li>
-To view <tt>ExplodedGraph</tt> (the state graph explored by the analyzer) while debugging, goto a frame that has <tt>clang::ento::ExprEngine</tt> object and execute:
+To view <tt>ExplodedGraph</tt> (the state graph explored by the analyzer) while 
+debugging, goto a frame that has <tt>clang::ento::ExprEngine</tt> object and 
+execute:
 <br><tt> 
 (gdb) <b>p ViewGraph(0)</b>
 </tt>
 </li>
 <li>
-To see <tt>clang::Expr</tt> while debugging use the following command. If you pass in a SourceManager object, it will also dump the corresponding line in the source code.
+To see <tt>clang::Expr</tt> while debugging use the following command. If you 
+pass in a SourceManager object, it will also dump the corresponding line in the 
+source code.
 <br><tt>
 (gdb) <b>p E->dump()</b>
 </tt>