computer science

NDepend

NDepend is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand NDepend rather than just read about it. In short: NDepend is a static analysis tool for C# and .NET code to manage code quality and security. The tool proposes a large number of features, from CI/CD Web Reporting to Quality Gate and Dependencies Visualization.

Key takeaways

NDepend belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect NDepend to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of NDepend from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

NDepend is a static analysis tool for C# and .NET code to manage code quality and security. The tool proposes a large number of features, from CI/CD Web Reporting to Quality Gate and Dependencies Visualization. For that reason, the community refers to it as the "Swiss Army Knife" for .NET Developers.

Features

The main features of NDepend are:

Interactive Web Reports about all Aspects of .NET Code Quality and Security Sample Reports Here. Reports can be built on any platform: Windows, Linux and MacOS [Roslyn Analyzers Issues Import https://www.ndepend.com/docs/reporting-roslyn-analyzers-issues] Quality Gates CI/CD Integration with Azure DevOps, GitHub Action, Bamboo, Jenkins, TeamCity, AppVeyor Dependency Visualization (using dependency graphs, and dependency matrix) Smart Technical Debt Estimation Declarative code rule over C# LINQ query (CQLinq). Software Metrics (NDepend currently supports more than 100 code metrics: Cyclomatic complexity; Afferent and Efferent Coupling; Relational Cohesion; Google page rank of .NET types; Percentage of code covered by tests, etc.) Code Coverage data import from Visual Studio coverage, dotCover, OpenCover, NCover, NCrunch. All results are compared against a baseline allowing the user to focus on newly identified issues. Integration with Visual Studio 2022, 2019, 2017, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2010, or can run as a standalone through VisualNDepend.exe, side by side with JetBrains Rider or Visual Studio Code.

Code rules through LINQ queries (CQLinq)

Live code queries and code rules through LINQ queries is the backbone of NDepend, all features use it extensively. Here are some sample code queries:

Base class should not use derivatives:

Avoid making complex methods even more complex (source code cyclomatic complexity):

Additionally, the tool provides a live CQLinq query editor with code completion and embedded documentation.

See also Design Structure Matrix List of tools for static code analysis Software visualization

External links Official website

NDepend reviewed by the .NET community Stack Overflow discussion: use of NDepend Johannes Rest on NDepend From Chaos to Clarity: Managing .NET Complexity with NDepend Benjamin Wolf on NDepend Exiting The Zone Of Pain: Static Analysis with NDepend.aspx (Scott Hanselman Program Manager, Microsoft) discusses NDepend Abhishek Sur on NDepend

Illustrations

NDepend: NDepend Report Source Files List — NDepend Report Source Files List

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with NDepend

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what NDepend claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to NDepend before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about NDepend ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of NDepend

In research: NDepend appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses NDepend in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: NDepend is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics .NET programming tools, Software metrics, Static program analysis tools, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for NDepend outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study NDepend in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what NDepend means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain NDepend out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is NDepend in simple terms?

Why does NDepend matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study NDepend?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on NDepend.