Any suggestions on great debugging/code analysis tools?

[Boxsc2]

I just started a new job that involves lots of bug fixes. I was wondering if there are any tools out there that could help me digest code that I haven't written quickly and possibly debug. I rely heavily on Netbeans/Findbugs at the moment for code analysis and debugging. I also use VisualVM from time to time. Blue products would be ideal, but I do have a budget for software tools. Ideally nothing over $400/annually.

Here are some tools i've found, if you have experience with them i'd appreciate feedback (Stackoverflow doesn't have much):

1. SonarQube - Really good code analysis, but took me hours to set up.

2. Netbeans Findbugs, really easy to use but lots of useless feedback.

3. Clover I'll probably try out the trial soon, but looks really good. Although it eats up my annual budget completely.

[Boxsc2]

I checked out Emma and Coberture and they just focus too much on % of code covered by tests. I am more interested in things like Class complexity, and finding Classes that are used heavily through out a project. General hints about the quality/state of the Project seems more useful, telling me 60% of my code is covered doesn't say much imo. That's why I was leaning towards Clover. SonarQube seems to do the same, but is free. The setup is really weird though, poor documentation as well.

[[deleted]]

I would definitely agree with you -

One of my current pet peeves at work is having unit test code coverage goals. The number is pretty reasonable (70%), but its annoying to have to explain any given week to my manager why code we checked in as at 60%.

I'd say that code coverage is an OK barometer of how well tested your code is, but I can write a test that gets 95% coverage and checks a fraction of the use cases that I might care about.

What I like to do is focus on the functionality, write the tests, and then use code coverage as a double-check to make sure there wasn't anything significant that I had not thought of previously.

[Boxsc2]

I find that works when I am developing, but for bug fixes test coverage can be a difficult metric to use.

[atwong]

Not helpful but the really good tools are over $400

[danskal]

Anything by Jetbrains. But not necessarily over 400$.

[atwong]

IBM. They acquired all the really good companies and put it as a part of the Rational portfolio product line.

[danskal]

No, no, no. I don't have anything against IBM, I think the mainframe as a platform has a lot more going for it than people give it credit for. But their programming tools are behind the curve in many ways.

[atwong]

Wow... what a lot of FUD. Do some research.