spectrum
A static analysis library for Clojure that catches clojure.spec conform errors at compile time.
What is spectrum?
Spectrum is a static analysis library for Clojure that uses clojure.spec annotations to catch type-like errors at compile time. It acts as an optional, pragmatic type system, analyzing code to detect spec conform issues before runtime, helping developers identify bugs early in the development process.
Clojure developers who use clojure.spec and want additional compile-time error checking without switching to a full static type system like core.typed.
Developers choose Spectrum for its pragmatic approach that leverages existing spec annotations, offers incremental checking, and focuses on catching common bugs with low false positives, complementing runtime spec instrumentation and generative testing.
Overview
Spectrum is a library for performing static analysis on Clojure code, leveraging clojure.spec annotations to detect type-like errors during compilation. It provides an optional, pragmatic layer of compile-time checking on top of spec, aiming to catch common bugs without requiring full spec coverage.
Key Features
- Static Analysis — Analyzes Clojure code at compile time to identify potential spec conform errors.
- Spec-Driven — Uses existing clojure.spec annotations as a foundation for type-like checking.
- Pragmatic Design — Prioritizes usability and speed over perfect correctness, aiming for low false positives.
- Incremental Checking — Supports checking individual vars or forms, enabling flexible integration into workflows.
- Configurable Strictness — Allows tuning of analysis strictness levels to balance thoroughness and performance.
Philosophy
Spectrum embraces a pragmatic approach, valuing a tool that catches 80% of bugs and is used daily over a theoretically perfect but impractical solution. It converges toward correctness while accepting limitations during development.
Related Projects
Found a gem we're missing?
Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.
