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Commented Code Analyzer ​

Analyzer IDCategorySeverityTime To Fix
commented-code✅ Code QualityLow5 minutes

What This Checks ​

  • Detects commented-out code blocks (minimum 3 consecutive lines)
  • Identifies code-like patterns in comments (variables, functions, classes, control structures)
  • Flags common code indicators (function calls, assignments, method calls, etc.)
  • Excludes genuine documentation comments
  • Reports exact file location and line number of each issue

Why It Matters ​

  • Code clarity: Commented code reduces readability and confuses developers
  • Version control: Git history preserves old code, so commented code is redundant
  • Maintenance burden: Commented code makes files longer and harder to navigate
  • Confusion: Developers may wonder if commented code should be uncommented
  • Dead code: Commented code is dead code that serves no purpose
  • Code review: Reviewers waste time reviewing commented-out code
  • File size: Commented code increases file size unnecessarily
  • Best practices: Clean code should not contain commented-out code

How to Fix ​

Quick Fix (2 minutes) ​

Remove commented code and rely on version control:

php
// ❌ Before: Commented code
// function oldCalculatePrice($product) {
//     return $product->price * 1.2;
// }

function calculatePrice($product)
{
    return $product->price * $this->getTaxRate();
}

// ✅ After: Remove commented code
function calculatePrice($product)
{
    return $product->price * $this->getTaxRate();
}

Proper Fix (5 minutes) ​

1: Remove Old Implementation ​

php
// ❌ Before: Old implementation commented out
// public function processOrder(Order $order)
// {
//     $order->status = 'processing';
//     $order->save();
//     // ... 20 lines of old code
// }

public function processOrder(Order $order)
{
    $this->orderService->process($order);
}

// ✅ After: Remove commented code
public function processOrder(Order $order)
{
    $this->orderService->process($order);
}

2: Use Git for History ​

php
// ❌ Before: Keeping old code for reference
// Old validation logic:
// if (strlen($email) < 5) {
//     throw new ValidationException('Email too short');
// }
// if (!str_contains($email, '@')) {
//     throw new ValidationException('Invalid email');
// }

// Current validation
$request->validate(['email' => 'required|email']);

// ✅ After: Remove and use git log if needed
$request->validate(['email' => 'required|email']);

// If you need to see old code:
// git log -p app/Http/Controllers/UserController.php

3: Extract to Documentation ​

php
// ❌ Before: Commented code with explanation
// This was the old way to calculate discounts:
// $discount = 0;
// if ($order->total > 100) {
//     $discount = $order->total * 0.1;
// }
// if ($order->user->isPremium()) {
//     $discount += $order->total * 0.05;
// }

// Current implementation
$discount = $this->discountCalculator->calculate($order);

// ✅ After: Move to documentation
// See docs/discount-calculation.md for historical context
$discount = $this->discountCalculator->calculate($order);

4: Remove Debug Code ​

php
// ❌ Before: Commented debug code
// var_dump($user);
// print_r($order->toArray());
// die('Debug point');

public function processOrder(Order $order)
{
    // Actual code
}

// ✅ After: Use proper logging
public function processOrder(Order $order)
{
    Log::debug('Processing order', ['order_id' => $order->id]);
    // Actual code
}

5: Remove Alternative Implementations ​

php
// ❌ Before: Multiple commented alternatives
// Option 1: Direct database query
// $users = DB::table('users')->where('active', 1)->get();

// Option 2: Eloquent query
// $users = User::where('active', 1)->get();

// Option 3: Using repository
$users = $this->userRepository->getActiveUsers();

// ✅ After: Keep only the chosen implementation
$users = $this->userRepository->getActiveUsers();

6: Remove Conditional Code Blocks ​

php
// ❌ Before: Commented conditional logic
// if ($feature->isEnabled('new-payment')) {
//     return $this->processNewPayment($order);
// } else {
//     return $this->processOldPayment($order);
// }

return $this->paymentProcessor->process($order);

// ✅ After: Remove commented code
return $this->paymentProcessor->process($order);

7: Customize ShieldCI Settings (Optional) ​

To customize the commented code detection sensitivity, publish the config:

bash
php artisan vendor:publish --tag=shieldci-config

Then in config/shieldci.php:

php
'analyzers' => [
    'code-quality' => [
        'enabled' => true,
        
        'commented-code' => [
            // Minimum consecutive commented lines to flag
            'min_consecutive_lines' => 3,  // Default: 3 lines

            // Maximum neutral lines (blank comments) allowed within a block
            'max_neutral_lines' => 2,      // Default: 2 lines

            // Minimum score threshold to classify content as code
            'code_score_threshold' => 2,   // Default: 2 points
        ],
    ],
],

Configuration Guide

min_consecutive_lines: Controls the minimum number of lines required to flag a block

  • Strict (2): Catch even small commented blocks
  • Balanced (3): Standard detection (recommended)
  • Lenient (5-10): Focus on large commented sections
  • Legacy (10+): Only flag massive dead code sections

max_neutral_lines: Controls spacing tolerance within comment blocks

  • Dense (0-1): Minimal spacing, any blank line may break the block
  • Standard (2): Reasonable spacing tolerance (recommended)
  • Spaced (3-5): For teams that add blank comment lines for readability

code_score_threshold: Controls what counts as "code" vs documentation

  • Strict (1): Any code pattern triggers detection (may increase false positives)
  • Balanced (2): Filters weak signals like lone $variable mentions (recommended)
  • Lenient (3-4): Only structural code like function, class, if statements

References ​

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