This warning comes up if a model does not limit what attributes can be set through mass assignment.

In particular, this check looks for attr_accessible inside model definitions. If it is not found, this warning will be issued.

Brakeman also warns on use of attr_protected - especially since it was found to be vulnerable to bypass. Warnings for mass assignment on models using attr_protected will be reported, but at a lower confidence level.

Note that disabling mass assignment globally will suppress these warnings.

This cop checks that the ABC size of methods is not higher than the configured maximum. The ABC size is based on assignments, branches (method calls), and conditions. See http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?AbcMetric

This cop checks if the length of a method exceeds some maximum value. Comment lines can optionally be ignored. The maximum allowed length is configurable.

This cop checks that the cyclomatic complexity of methods is not higher than the configured maximum. The cyclomatic complexity is the number of linearly independent paths through a method. The algorithm counts decision points and adds one.

An if statement (or unless or ?:) increases the complexity by one. An else branch does not, since it doesn't add a decision point. The && operator (or keyword and) can be converted to a nested if statement, and ||/or is shorthand for a sequence of ifs, so they also add one. Loops can be said to have an exit condition, so they add one.

This cop checks if the length of a method exceeds some maximum value. Comment lines can optionally be ignored. The maximum allowed length is configurable.

This cop tries to produce a complexity score that's a measure of the complexity the reader experiences when looking at a method. For that reason it considers when nodes as something that doesn't add as much complexity as an if or a &&. Except if it's one of those special case/when constructs where there's no expression after case. Then the cop treats it as an if/elsif/elsif... and lets all the when nodes count. In contrast to the CyclomaticComplexity cop, this cop considers else nodes as adding complexity.

Example:

def my_method                   # 1
  if cond                       # 1
    case var                    # 2 (0.8 + 4 * 0.2, rounded)
    when 1 then func_one
    when 2 then func_two
    when 3 then func_three
    when 4..10 then func_other
    end
  else                          # 1
    do_something until a && b   # 2
  end                           # ===
end                             # 7 complexity points

Cognitive Complexity

Cognitive Complexity is a measure of how difficult a unit of code is to intuitively understand. Unlike Cyclomatic Complexity, which determines how difficult your code will be to test, Cognitive Complexity tells you how difficult your code will be to read and comprehend.

A method's cognitive complexity is based on a few simple rules:

• Code is not considered more complex when it uses shorthand that the language provides for collapsing multiple statements into one
• Code is considered more complex for each "break in the linear flow of the code"
• Code is considered more complex when "flow breaking structures are nested"

Further reading

• Cognitive Complexity docs
• Cognitive Complexity: A new way of measuring understandability

Cognitive Complexity

Cognitive Complexity is a measure of how difficult a unit of code is to intuitively understand. Unlike Cyclomatic Complexity, which determines how difficult your code will be to test, Cognitive Complexity tells you how difficult your code will be to read and comprehend.

A method's cognitive complexity is based on a few simple rules:

• Code is not considered more complex when it uses shorthand that the language provides for collapsing multiple statements into one
• Code is considered more complex for each "break in the linear flow of the code"
• Code is considered more complex when "flow breaking structures are nested"

Further reading

• Cognitive Complexity docs
• Cognitive Complexity: A new way of measuring understandability

Use symbols as procs when possible.

Example:

# bad
something.map { |s| s.upcase }

# good
something.map(&:upcase)

This cop checks whether the end keywords are aligned properly.

Three modes are supported through the EnforcedStyleAlignWith configuration parameter:

If it's set to keyword (which is the default), the end shall be aligned with the start of the keyword (if, class, etc.).

If it's set to variable the end shall be aligned with the left-hand-side of the variable assignment, if there is one.

If it's set to start_of_line, the end shall be aligned with the start of the line where the matching keyword appears.

Example: EnforcedStyleAlignWith: keyword (default)

# bad

variable = if true
    end

# good

variable = if true
           end

Example: EnforcedStyleAlignWith: variable

# bad

variable = if true
    end

# good

variable = if true
end

Example: EnforcedStyleAlignWith: startofline

# bad

variable = if true
    end

# good

puts(if true
end)

This cop checks that the closing brace in an array literal is either on the same line as the last array element, or a new line.

When using the symmetrical (default) style:

If an array's opening brace is on the same line as the first element of the array, then the closing brace should be on the same line as the last element of the array.

If an array's opening brace is on the line above the first element of the array, then the closing brace should be on the line below the last element of the array.

When using the new_line style:

The closing brace of a multi-line array literal must be on the line after the last element of the array.

When using the same_line style:

The closing brace of a multi-line array literal must be on the same line as the last element of the array.

Example: EnforcedStyle: symmetrical (default)

# bad
  [ :a,
    :b
  ]

  # bad
  [
    :a,
    :b ]

  # good
  [ :a,
    :b ]

  # good
  [
    :a,
    :b
  ]

Example: EnforcedStyle: new_line

# bad
  [
    :a,
    :b ]

  # bad
  [ :a,
    :b ]

  # good
  [ :a,
    :b
  ]

  # good
  [
    :a,
    :b
  ]

Example: EnforcedStyle: same_line

# bad
  [ :a,
    :b
  ]

  # bad
  [
    :a,
    :b
  ]

  # good
  [
    :a,
    :b ]

  # good
  [ :a,
    :b ]

This cop looks for trivial reader/writer methods, that could have been created with the attr_* family of functions automatically.

Example:

# bad
def foo
  @foo
end

def bar=(val)
  @bar = val
end

def self.baz
  @baz
end

# good
attr_reader :foo
attr_writer :bar

class << self
  attr_reader :baz
end