6 Best Elixir Static Analysis Tools 2026

Static analysis tools help Elixir developers write high-quality, secure, and maintainable code by identifying potential issues early. These tools improve code quality, catch errors, and reduce security risks.

What changed since this guide was written

The six tools covered here are all active and the core use cases described remain accurate. A few things are worth noting. Credo continues to be the community default for Elixir code quality and has been updated regularly — version numbers in the mix.exs examples may be behind current releases; always check Hex.pm for the latest stable version before adding a dependency. Sobelow has seen less frequent maintenance activity in recent periods; verify the last release date on Hex.pm and check open issues before relying on it as your primary security scanner in a production pipeline. Dialyxir remains the standard way to run Dialyzer in Elixir projects and has been kept current alongside Erlang/OTP releases. CodeScene is a commercial product with pricing that has evolved; the 'limited free features' note is directional but verify current plan structure on their site. Pronto's development has slowed compared to when this guide was written — check whether the pronto-credo runner is being maintained before building CI workflows around it. One tool not listed here that has gained traction since this guide was written: mix_audit for auditing dependencies for known vulnerabilities, which complements the static analysis tools above and is now commonly run alongside Credo in Elixir CI pipelines.

Key Features

Tool

Key Features

Credo

Code analysis, code duplication detection, security checks

Sobelow

Security-focused code analysis for Phoenix applications

Dialyxir

Code analysis, type checking with Dialyzer integration

CodeScene

Code analysis, team dynamics, software delivery insights

Codacy

Code analysis, duplication detection, complexity analysis

Pronto

Code analysis, duplication detection (integrates with Credo)

Quick Comparison

Tool

Installation

Integration

Pros

Cons

Credo

Easy (Hex)

GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket

Detailed analysis, customizable, easy setup

Sobelow

Easy (Hex)

GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket

Security-focused, easy setup

Limited features

Dialyxir

Easy (Hex)

GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket

Detailed analysis, easy setup

Steeper learning curve

CodeScene

Easy (Git)

GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket

Detailed analysis, prioritizes tech debt

Limited free features

Codacy

Easy (Git)

GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket

Detailed analysis, multi-language

Limited free features

Pronto

Requires setup (GitHub)

Credo, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket

Integrates with Credo

Additional setup required

These static analysis tools help Elixir developers improve code quality, catch bugs, and enhance security. Choose the tool that best fits your project's needs based on features, integration options, and ease of setup.

1. Credo

Credo

Installation and Setup

To set up Credo, add it to your mix.exs file:

{:credo, "~> 1.6", runtime: false, only: :dev}

Then, configure your .credo.exs file to capture errors. Automate Credo in your CI with:

mix credo -a

Key Features

Credo checks code quality and provides warnings for secure code. It can detect:

Too many tuples
Exposing/overriding/clearing important environment variables
Executing unsafe code

You can also add custom rules to fit your needs.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Easy to set up and integrate

Can be overwhelming for beginners

Detailed reports on code quality and security

May need extra configuration for specific needs

Customizable rules

Integrates well with CI/CD pipelines

Credo is a strong tool for ensuring code quality and security in Elixir projects. Its ease of use and customization options make it a popular choice among developers.

2. Sobelow

Sobelow

Installation and Setup

To set up Sobelow, add it to your mix.exs file:

{:sobelow, "~> 0.8", only: :dev}

Automate the installation in your CI with:

mix escript.install --force hex sobelow

Key Features

Sobelow is a security tool for the Phoenix framework. It can detect:

Insecure configuration
Cross-site scripting
SQL injection
Directory traversal
Unsafe serialization

Run mix sobelow to find common issues.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Focuses on security

May need extra setup for specific needs

Detects various security issues

Supports Phoenix framework

Easy to set up and use

Sobelow helps keep Phoenix applications secure. Its focus on security and ease of use make it a popular choice among developers.

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3. Dialyxir

Dialyxir

Installation and Setup

Dialyxir adds type checking and static analysis to Elixir projects. To install, add it to your mix.exs file:

defp deps do
  [
    {:dialyxir, "~> 1.1", only: [:dev, :test]}
  ]
end

Key Features

Dialyxir integrates the Dialyzer tool, which is used for static analysis in Erlang, with Elixir projects. It offers a simple interface to run Dialyzer and understand its output, helping developers write reliable Elixir code.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Simplifies static analysis

Integrates with Dialyzer

Easy to use interface

Dialyxir is useful for Elixir developers, making static analysis and type checking straightforward. Its simple interface is helpful even for those new to Dialyzer.

4. CodeScene

CodeScene

Installation and Setup

CodeScene is a behavioral code analysis platform that supports multiple languages, including Elixir. To use CodeScene, connect your Git account and set up an analysis of your code.

Key Features

CodeScene offers insights into:

Code quality
Team dynamics
Software delivery

It identifies risks, suggests improvements, and prioritizes technical debt based on how your team works with the code.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Detailed code analysis

Requires additional setup

Prioritizes technical debt

Supports multiple languages

CodeScene provides a deeper understanding of your Elixir project's code quality and team dynamics. Its ability to prioritize technical debt based on business context makes it a useful tool for development teams.

5. Codacy

Codacy

Key Features

Codacy is a static analysis tool that supports Elixir and other languages. It helps developers improve code quality with features like:

Static Analysis: Finds issues, bugs, and security vulnerabilities in your Elixir code.
Code Duplication: Detects duplicated code to reduce redundancy.
Code Complexity: Analyzes code complexity and suggests areas for refactoring.
Test Coverage: Supports multiple test coverage report formats to help track and improve test coverage.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Detailed static analysis

Requires additional setup

Supports multiple languages

Identifies code duplication and complexity

6. Pronto

Pronto

Installation and Setup

Pronto works with Credo to analyze Elixir code. To set up Pronto, install the pronto-credo package from GitHub. This package allows Pronto to run Credo checks.

Key Features

Pronto, combined with Credo, offers:

Code Analysis: Identifies issues, bugs, and security vulnerabilities.
Code Duplication Detection: Finds duplicated code to reduce redundancy.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Integrates with Credo

Requires additional setup

Detects code duplication

Provides detailed analysis

Pronto, when used with Credo, helps improve Elixir code quality by identifying issues and reducing redundancy. It requires some setup but offers detailed analysis and integration with Credo.

Tool Comparison

When choosing the best Elixir static analysis tool for your project, it's important to compare their features, pros, and cons. Here's a side-by-side comparison of the six tools discussed in this article:

Tool

Installation and Setup

Key Features

Integration Options

Pros

Cons

Credo

Easy, via Hex

Code analysis, code duplication detection, and more