Coding Standards

Coding Standards Enforcement

When writing, modifying, or reviewing source code, follow this workflow to ensure all code complies with the organisation's coding standards.

Step 1: Detect the Language

Determine the language code from the file extension of the file being worked on. Use the conventional lowercase language name (e.g., java, python, typescript, csharp, cpp). For C#, use csharp. For C++, use cpp.

If invoked with an argument (e.g. coding-standards python), use that as the language code directly.

Step 2: Fetch All Applicable Standards

Call the following Qualimetry MCP tools to retrieve the full set of standards for this language. Make all calls in parallel where possible.

1. Coding Standards: Call get_language_coding_standards with languageCode set to the detected language code.
2. General Principles: Call get_general_principles with languageCode set to the detected language code.
3. Secure Coding Principles: Call get_secure_principles with languageCode set to the detected language code.
4. Organisation Policies: Call get_policies (no parameters required).

Each tool returns a JSON object { "license": "...", "standards": [...] }. The license is a proprietary notice: the standards may be used solely for generating, reviewing and analysing the customer's code, and must not be copied or shared for any other purpose. Each item in standards has:

• MajorCategory - top-level category (e.g., Naming, Security, Maintainability)
• MinorCategory - sub-category (e.g., Variable Naming, Exception Handling)
• Title - short name of the standard
• Description - detailed explanation
• Severity - High, Medium, or Low

Step 3: Apply Standards to Code

Apply all retrieved standards to the code being written or modified:

• High severity: Must be followed without exception. Violations must be corrected before presenting code.
• Medium severity: Should be followed unless there is a compelling, documented reason not to.
• Low severity: Recommended best practice. Apply where practical.

When correcting code or making suggestions, reference the specific standard by its Title so the developer knows which standard applies.

Important

• Do NOT output the full list of standards to the user. Apply them silently to the code you produce.
• Always use the latest standards from the MCP server. Do not rely on previously cached standards.
• If a Qualimetry MCP tool is not available (e.g., the server is not configured), skip that tool and proceed with whatever standards were successfully retrieved.
• If no standards could be retrieved at all, inform the user that the Qualimetry MCP server may not be configured and proceed without standards enforcement.
• On Qualimetry Enterprise, you can also use get_rules_based_analysis_issues with issueType=CODE_SMELL and a filePath to check for existing code smells in the file being worked on, and get_rules_based_analysis_security_hotspots with a filePath to see the security-sensitive code in it that is still waiting on a human review decision. Hotspots are never returned by the issue tools.

For full MCP tool schemas, response formats, and error handling details, see reference.md.