Klocwork is a SAST tool from Perforce Software built for safety-critical and security-sensitive development. It supports C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, Python, and Kotlin, with particular depth in C/C++ analysis for automotive, medical, industrial, and aerospace applications.
What is Klocwork?
Klocwork detects security vulnerabilities, coding standard violations, and reliability issues in C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, Python, and Kotlin. It natively supports over 50 compiler environments, which matters for embedded and safety-critical projects that use specialized toolchains.
The differential analysis engine is the key workflow feature. Instead of re-scanning an entire codebase on every commit, Klocwork analyzes only the changed files and delivers results quickly.
Teams use this for continuous compliance — every commit gets checked against MISRA, AUTOSAR, CERT, or whatever standard applies.
What are Klocwork’s key features?
Compliance standards
Klocwork covers both security and safety standards:
| Domain | Standards |
|---|---|
| Security | CERT C/C++, CWE, OWASP Top 10, DISA STIG, PCI DSS, ISO/IEC TS 17961 |
| Automotive | MISRA C (2004, 2012, 2023), MISRA C++, AUTOSAR C++14 |
| Aerospace | DO-178B/C (via DO-330), JSF AV C++, NASA’s 10 Rules |
| Industrial | IEC 61508, EN 50128 |
| Medical | IEC 62304 |
| Nuclear | IEC 60880 |
IDE and CI/CD integration
Klocwork provides plugins for Visual Studio, Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA, and VS Code. Developers see findings directly in their editor as they code.
For CI/CD, Klocwork integrates with Jenkins, GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, and GitLab CI. The custom Jenkins plugin was deprecated in favor of native integration starting from Klocwork 2024.2, giving teams more flexibility in how they connect pipelines.
Perforce Validate Platform
Klocwork integrates with the Perforce Validate Platform for centralized reporting across projects. Project Streams manage shared codebases with multiple variants — common in automotive and embedded development where a single codebase produces multiple firmware builds.
How do I get started with Klocwork?
kwcheck run --diff — scans only changed files, reporting MISRA violations and security issues per fileWhen to use Klocwork
Klocwork is built for teams developing safety-critical or security-sensitive software in C/C++.
According to MISRA’s guidelines, static analysis is a mandatory activity for safety-critical software development under ISO 26262 and IEC 61508.
If you need TÜV SÜD certification evidence, MISRA compliance, or AUTOSAR checking, Klocwork is one of the few tools that provides it with formal certification.
For general-purpose SAST without safety certification requirements, tools like Coverity (also strong on C/C++), SonarQube , or Semgrep may be more cost-effective.
What are alternatives to Klocwork?
For embedded C/C++ teams comparing Klocwork, four alternatives sit in the same safety-critical SAST tier:
- Coverity — Synopsys/Black Duck’s enterprise SAST with deep interprocedural dataflow analysis on C/C++. TÜV SÜD certified for ISO 26262 and IEC 61508. The most direct functional substitute for Klocwork in automotive and industrial codebases.
- MathWorks Polyspace — formal-methods static analyzer that proves the absence of specific runtime errors (overflow, divide-by-zero, out-of-bounds) rather than merely flagging suspicious patterns. The fit when Simulink/Model-Based Design is already in the toolchain.
- Perforce Helix QAC — Klocwork’s sibling product under the same Perforce umbrella, focused on MISRA and AUTOSAR coding-standard enforcement. Often paired with Klocwork in the same shop because Helix QAC owns the rule-checking story while Klocwork owns the dataflow story.
- LDRA Tool Suite — long-running embedded SAST + dynamic-analysis bundle with DO-178C, IEC 62304, and EN 50128 qualification kits. The fit when avionics, medical, or rail certification is the primary driver.
For a wider view of the SAST landscape, the SAST tools hub lists every active scanner I have reviewed.
How much does Klocwork cost?
Klocwork is sold under a contact-sales licensing model. Perforce — the current owner after the 2018 Rogue Wave acquisition — does not publish list pricing on perforce.com/products/klocwork, and there is no free tier or per-developer rate card. Production licenses come through a quote that depends on seat count, scanner edition, and whether the deployment is on-premises or hosted by Perforce.
A demo is available on request, and Perforce typically arranges a proof-of-concept on a representative codebase before a procurement decision. For embedded and safety-critical teams that need TÜV SÜD certification evidence as part of an ISO 26262 or IEC 61508 audit, the formal qualification kits are bundled into the same commercial agreement rather than sold separately. Per AppSec Santa’s pricing policy I do not publish dollar figures for tools without public price lists.
