Managing multiple SonarQube installations often involves ensuring consistent code quality standards across different environments. A key component of this is the Quality Profile (QP), which dictates the rules applied during code analysis. Currently, comparing Quality Profiles and applying changes programmatically is not straightforward, hindering efficient management. This article highlights the need for a “Diff Compare” feature for SonarQube Quality Profiles, focusing on programmatic interaction.
The core challenge arises when users want to propagate Quality Profile adjustments across various SonarQube instances. While manual comparison is possible through the SonarQube UI, a programmatic approach is essential for automation and scalability. The user scenario involves comparing Quality Profiles, identifying differences (the “diff”), and then applying these changes to other profiles. This process would ideally be facilitated via the SonarQube WEB API.
Desired functionalities include the ability to retrieve a list of rule IDs within a Quality Profile via the API. Furthermore, programmatically adding rules to a Quality Profile through the API is crucial. Ideally, users would like to “backup the diff” of a comparison, potentially storing it as a temporary profile or exporting it to XML for cross-instance application. Importing a “diff” from XML into another SonarQube instance is also a valuable capability.
Currently, users are forced to manually compare profiles and lack programmatic tools to manage the differences. The request is for SonarQube to implement a built-in “diff compare” functionality, accessible via the WEB API. This would significantly streamline Quality Profile management, enabling efficient and consistent code quality practices across all SonarQube deployments. Implementing this “diff compare” feature would be a valuable enhancement to SonarQube.
