What do static analysis tools primarily analyze?

Static analysis tools primarily analyze program code. These tools help identify potential issues in the software without executing it, focusing on examining the code itself for vulnerabilities, coding standards violations, and other potential problems that could impact quality and maintainability.

By checking the code base, static analysis tools provide early feedback to developers, allowing them to rectify issues before the software is executed or deployed. This helps in improving the robustness and reliability of the software while reducing the cost associated with later-stage defect resolution.

In contrast, while design, test cases, and requirements are all critical components of the software development process, they fall outside the primary function of static analysis tools, which are exclusively focused on code analysis.