Kernel developers and maintainers often need to manually run multiple static analysis tools (checkpatch, coccicheck, sparse, dt_binding_check, dtbs_check, etc.) and create custom scripts to consolidate results. This leads to: - Inconsistent testing environments across different developers - Time spent writing and maintaining custom integration scripts - Missed issues due to incomplete tool coverage - Difficulty in reproducing analysis results I'd like to introduce PatchWise, a tool designed to address this fragmentation and manual orchestration of static analysis tools. I'm seeking feedback from the community on this approach and suggestions for how it could better serve kernel developers and maintainers. Key features (All Optional and Configurable): - Unified interface for checkpatch, coccicheck, sparse, dt_binding_check, dtbs_check - Docker-based execution for consistent, reproducible environments - Simple installation and usage: `$ pip install patchwise` then `$ patchwise` in your kernel tree root - Allows selective review execution (e.g., `$ patchwise --reviews checkpatch sparse`) - Supports both individual commits and commit ranges Optional AI-Powered Review Features: PatchWise also includes optional AI-based code review capabilities that aim to overcome a key limitation in automated patch review: limited context. When enabled, the tool uses Language Server Protocol (LSP) integration with clangd to: - Generate compile_commands.json for accurate code understanding - Fetch relevant function definitions, struct declarations, and related code - Provide context-aware feedback rather than superficial pattern matching - Support multiple LLM providers (OpenAI, etc.) Important note: All features including AI code review can be selectively enabled and disabled based on user preference. Technical Architecture: - Python 3.10+ with pip installation - Docker-based isolation for tool execution - LSP integration for deep AI code understanding - YAML-based configuration - Rich logging and debugging support Source code and current status: https://github.com/qualcomm/PatchWise Upcoming improvements include patch series support and Docker-based dependency management for each tool. Open tasks and planned features are documented in the GitHub issues for visibility and collaboration/ Feedback Requested: - Tool Integration: Are there other static analysis tools you'd like to see supported? - Workflow Integration: How could PatchWise better fit into your existing development and review workflows? - Output Format: What formats would be most useful for your use cases? - AI Features: For those interested, how else can AI code review and commit text analysis be improved? Try it out: $ pip install patchwise $ cd /path/to/your/kernel/tree $ patchwise # Analyzes HEAD commit with all available tools $ patchwise --reviews checkpatch sparse # Runs only specific tools The goal is to eliminate the need for custom scripts to consolidate kernel test tools, while offering optional advanced features for those who want them. Thanks, David
