Splint, short for Secure Programming Lint, is a
programming tool
A programming tool or software development tool is a computer program that software developers use to create, debug, maintain, or otherwise support other programs and applications. The term usually refers to relatively simple programs, that can b ...
for
statically checking C programs for security
vulnerabilities
Vulnerability refers to "the quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally."
A window of vulnerability (WOV) is a time frame within which defensive measures are diminished, com ...
and coding mistakes. Formerly called LCLint, it is a modern version of the
Unix
Unix (; trademarked as UNIX) is a family of multitasking, multiuser computer operating systems that derive from the original AT&T Unix, whose development started in 1969 at the Bell Labs research center by Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, a ...
lint tool.
Splint has the ability to interpret special annotations to the
source code
In computing, source code, or simply code, is any collection of code, with or without comment (computer programming), comments, written using a human-readable programming language, usually as plain text. The source code of a Computer program, p ...
, which gives it stronger checking than is possible just by looking at the source alone. Splint is used by
gpsd
gpsd is a computer software program that collects data from a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and provides the data via an Internet Protocol (IP) network to potentially multiple client applications in a server-client application archite ...
as part of an effort to design for zero defects.
Splint is
free software
Free software or libre software is computer software distributed under terms that allow users to run the software for any purpose as well as to study, change, and distribute it and any adapted versions. Free software is a matter of liberty, ...
released under the terms of the
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License (GNU GPL or simply GPL) is a series of widely used free software licenses that guarantee end user
In product development, an end user (sometimes end-user) is a person who ultimately uses or is intended to ulti ...
.
Main development activity on Splint stopped in 2010. According to the
CVS
CVS may refer to:
Organizations
* CVS Health, a US pharmacy chain
** CVS Pharmacy
** CVS Caremark, a prescription benefit management subsidiary
* Council for Voluntary Service, England
* Cable Video Store, former US pay-per-view service
* CVS F ...
at
SourceForge
SourceForge is a web service that offers software consumers a centralized online location to control and manage open-source software projects and research business software. It provides source code repository hosting, bug tracking, mirrori ...
, as of September 2012 the most recent change in the repository was in November 2010. A
Git
Git () is a distributed version control system: tracking changes in any set of files, usually used for coordinating work among programmers collaboratively developing source code during software development. Its goals include speed, data integ ...
repository at
GitHub
GitHub, Inc. () is an Internet hosting service for software development and version control using Git. It provides the distributed version control of Git plus access control, bug tracking, software feature requests, task management, co ...
has more recent changes, starting in July 2019.
Example
#include
int main()
Splint's output:
Variable c used before definition
Suspected infinite loop. No value used in loop test (c) is modified by test or loop body.
Assignment of int to char: c = getchar()
Test expression for if is assignment expression: c = 'x'
Test expression for if not boolean, type char: c = 'x'
Fall through case (no preceding break)
Fixed source:
#include
int main()
See also
*
Buffer overflow
In information security and programming, a buffer overflow, or buffer overrun, is an anomaly whereby a program, while writing data to a buffer, overruns the buffer's boundary and overwrites adjacent memory locations.
Buffers are areas of memor ...
*
Memory debugger
Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remembered, ...
*
Software testing
Software testing is the act of examining the artifacts and the behavior of the software under test by validation and verification. Software testing can also provide an objective, independent view of the software to allow the business to apprecia ...
*
List of tools for static code analysis
This is a list of notable tools for static program analysis (program analysis is a synonym for code analysis).
Static code analysis tools
Languages
Ada
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
C, C++
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
...
References
External links
*
Static program analysis tools
Free memory management software
Cross-platform software
Free software testing tools
Software using the GPL license
{{programming-software-stub