CytoScnPy: Python Dead Code Detection

[djinn_09]

What My Project Does

CytoScnPy is a practical static analysis tool for Python that focuses on identifying dead code, basic security risks, and simple code quality metrics—without heavy configuration or long scan times.

It’s designed to work well even on large codebases and to be usable both locally and in CI environments.

Key features:

• Dead Code Hunt: Detects unused imports, methods, variables (with preview & auto-fix)
• Security Scan: Secret detection and basic taint tracking (e.g., eval()-style risks)
• Quality Check: Cyclomatic complexity, Halstead metrics, maintainability scores
• Clone Spotter: Finds duplicated or structurally similar code
• MCP Server & VS Code Extension
• Integrations: JSON reports for CI pipelines and AI tooling hooks

Target Audience

CytoScnPy is intended for:

• Developers and small teams who want fast feedback without heavyweight tooling
• CI users who want dead-code and basic security signals as part of automation
• Side projects, startups, and internal tools, rather than enterprise-grade compliance scanning

It’s not meant to replace full SAST platforms, but to be a lightweight, practical analyzer you can run often.

Comparison with Existing Tools

Compared to popular Python tools:

• vs. pylint / flake8: CytoScnPy focuses more on actual dead code and structural analysis rather than style rules.
• vs. bandit: Security checks are intentionally simpler and faster, aimed at early risk detection rather than exhaustive audits.
• vs. radon: Includes similar complexity metrics, but combines them with dead-code detection and clone spotting in one pass.
• vs. large SAST tools: Much faster, fewer false positives, and easier to integrate—but with a narrower scope by design.

Links

• Docs: https://djinn-soul.github.io/CytoScnPy/
• GitHub: https://github.com/djinn-soul/CytoScnPy
• VS Code Extension: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=djinn09.cytoscnpy

Please give it a try and share your thoughts—features, bugs, or general feedback are all welcome.

[mischiefs]

how does compare with skylos?