I'm often asked what static code tools I like for Java. First, I've been nearly full-time in Ruby and Rails for a year now, so I may be out of date, but here's what I like.
Findbugs
Findbugs is the absolute best tool for static code analysis. But best is a nebulous and somewhat relative term. I prefer something with a very low noise to signal ratio, and Findbugs has that. Other tools (like PMD, see below) report a lot more information. So much in fact that real issues can get lost in the clutter.
Here's a quote for you... I've never run Findbugs on a production codebase and not found at least one legitimate bug. A real, not theoretical, issue.
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