AI-powered software tools have completely changed how we write code. Most developers today use at least one AI coding tool, and many swear by their favorite. But after trying several—Cursor, Copilot, and now Amp—I’ve learned that not all tools perform the same.
In this article, I’ll share my experience with Amp for static code analysis, explain why it stands out, and walk you through how to use it step by step.
What issues does static code analysis detect?
Static code analysis focuses on identifying code quality issues and security vulnerabilities. Here are some common ones it catches:
Code duplication
Copy-pasted code is a maintenance nightmare. If a bug or necessary update is discovered in one instance, developers must track down and fix every occurrence. Static analysis helps flag these and convert them into reusable functions.
SQL injection
SQL injection happens when a program inserts user input directly into an SQL query without proper validation or parameterization.
Attackers can then alter the query and access or modify sensitive data. Static code analysis identifies such common patterns and offers potential fixes.
Styling issues
Static code analysis can identify inconsistent indentation, weird naming, and mixed styles that make the code harder to read and maintain.
Performance optimizations
Static code analysis tools can detect inefficient or redundant logic that slows down execution, such as unnecessary loops, memory leaks, inefficient data structures or algorithms, and unoptimized recursive calls.
Why Use Amp for static code analysis?
Unconstrained token usage: Unlike many AI tools, Amp doesn’t limit the number of tokens per task. It automatically selects the best model for the task, delivering high-quality code without running into context limits.
Collaboration: There’s a share button that lets you share the Amp threads with your colleagues. You can also create a workspace and add your teammates. All workspace threads are visible to members by default, but you can adjust permissions to control access.
Flexible setup: Amp offers both an IDE extension and a CLI tool. If you prefer working with commands, you can run Amp directly from your terminal. It’s VS Code extension also feels natural in the IDE setup.
Integration compatibility: In addition to native IDE integration, the Amp SDK lets you stream inputs and outputs between your custom applications and Amp. That means you can use it to programmatically build AI workflows and integrate Amp into your custom development tools.
Different ways Amp can perform static code analysis
Amp in IDE
Amp provides native extensions for VS Code, JetBrains, Cursor, and other popular IDEs. Once installed, it appears as a chat window inside your IDE, where you can ask questions, assign tasks, switch between different Amp modes, and get intelligent code assistance.
Amp continuously runs in the background, analyzing your code and identifying quality issues in real-time. You can open the Amp chat window in your preferred IDE and ask it to analyze specific code sections for security vulnerabilities or check files for code quality issues.
Over time, Amp learns from your codebase and developer patterns and provides more accurate, context-aware solutions.
Amp as CLI
Amp is also available as a command-line interface. You can install it using a curl command directly from your terminal and interact with it through simple prompts.
Its interactive mode lets you chat with Amp in your terminal, while the -x command activates execute mode, where Amp internally performs tasks step by step and displays the final output.
When you navigate to your project directory, Amp reads the code context and relevant files from the terminal. However, unlike the IDE version, the Amp CLI doesn’t automatically run in the background. You need to explicitly prompt it to perform static code analysis when required.
Amp in CI/CD
You can integrate Amp into your CI/CD pipeline to perform code quality checks automatically with every push. For example, in GitHub Actions, create a yaml file inside .github/workflows/file_name.ymland add instructions to run Amp after each commit or push.
You can also include SARIF files so that Amp’s suggestions appear directly in the Security tab and inline within pull requests on GitHub.
How to use Amp for static code analysis?
The easiest way to use Amp is through VS Code, and that’s what most developers prefer. Once installed, you can start scanning and fixing code directly inside your IDE.
To get Amp installed and running on your VS Code, follow this guide.
After the setup, you’ll see the Amp chat interface appear on the left sidebar of your IDE.
Open any file you want to analyze. I started with a Python file named retriever.py and prompted, “Scan this file for code quality issues.”
Amp quickly highlighted the line numbers with exact issues and categorized them into high, medium, and low priorities. For example, syntax errors and network failures appeared under high priority since the code doesn’t run with these issues. Similarly, less severe problems were placed under the medium and low priority categories.
Next, I asked it to find possible bugs in the file. Amp detected missing error handling cases, empty list possibilities, unused parameters, and more.
I also had a SQL script in the same repository, so I asked Amp to check for SQL injection vulnerabilities. Since the code was secure, it confirmed there were none.
Not only can Amp identify static code issues, but you can also prompt it to fix them automatically. The tool applies the fixes directly in your IDE and updates the code once you accept its suggestions.
Conclusion
Using Amp for static code analysis brings powerful security checks and real-time assistance to your development workflow in today’s AI-driven world. By catching code quality issues and security vulnerabilities right inside the IDE, Amp helps you maintain best coding practices and minimize issues in later stages of the development lifecycle.
As AI continues to reshape software development, organizations that combine AI productivity with robust coding practices will have a significant competitive advantage. Start using Amp in your coding workflow today to build more quality and secure software.
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