CodeMatch vs PMD
CodeMatch
safe-corp.comPMD
pmd.github.ioSide by side
| Figure | CodeMatch | PMD |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 1 |
| Spec score · Code Clone Detection Tools | 7.7 (#9) | 8.1 (#3) |
| Languages | The product page lists support for languages including C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, Python, SQL, Swift, and TypeScript, and says new language support can usually be added within days on request. | PMD focuses mainly on Java and Apex and supports 16 other languages, including JavaScript, Kotlin, Swift, and XML. |
| Purpose | CodeMatch compares source code files across directories and subdirectories, ranking the most highly correlated file pairs to help locate possible plagiarism. | PMD is an extensible cross-language static code analyzer that finds common programming flaws. |
| Support | The maker invites users to contact it if a needed programming language is not listed and says it will usually add support within days. | The project directs users to Stack Overflow for questions, GitHub issues for suspected bugs or requests, and Gitter for quick questions. |
Plans
In their own words
CodeMatch
CodeMatch is a Windows program from SAFE Corporation for comparing source-code files across two directories, including their subdirectories. It ranks file pairs by correlation scores from 0 to 100, helping an examiner reduce many combinations to a smaller review list. Its hybrid methods compare statements, comments and strings, instruction sequences, and identifiers. Reports can show the material behind high correlations in detailed HTML, while a database export can produce an HTML summary. SAFE lists languages including C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, Python, SQL, Swift, Verilog, and VHDL, and says requested languages can usually be added within days. The maker also describes uses such as finding open-source code in proprietary software, assessing common authorship, and identifying shared algorithms. A press release allows no-charge comparison of up to 1 megabyte of source code. CodeMatch assists expert review rather than precisely identifying plagiarism. It is paid, with a free plan and trial, but no CodeMatch price is listed.
PMD
PMD is a free, extensible static code analyzer that checks source code for programming flaws such as unused variables, empty catch blocks, and unnecessary object creation. It includes more than 400 built-in rules, and teams can write custom rules in Java or XPath. Its bundled CPD tool finds duplicated code across many programming languages. PMD checks source directories from the command line and can run as a Maven, Ant, Gradle, or bld build operation. Supported languages include Java, JavaScript, Salesforce Apex and Visualforce, Kotlin, Swift, Modelica, PL/SQL, Apache Velocity, JSP, WSDL, Maven POM, HTML, XML, and XSL; Scala is supported without Scala rules. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows and requires Java 8 or above. For CI, its GitHub Action can create SARIF reports and fail builds based on violation counts; documentation also covers GitLab, Jenkins, and Bamboo integrations. IDE integrations include Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA, and Visual Studio Code, though some listed plugins are not actively maintained. Only the latest major version is actively developed.