Automate embedded systems compliance with GitLab and CodeSonar

Source: GitLab Blog

Overview

Embedded systems development teams face a persistent challenge: maintaining development velocity while meeting stringent functional safety and code quality requirements. Standards like ISO 26262, IEC 62304, DO‑178C, and IEC 61508 demand rigorous verification processes that are often manual and time‑consuming.

GitLab and CodeSonar combine to automate compliance checks, streamline code analysis, and integrate safety‑critical workflows directly into the CI/CD pipeline. This approach reduces manual effort, improves traceability, and helps teams deliver safer, higher‑quality embedded software faster.

Key Benefits

• Automated compliance: Continuous verification against safety standards without manual gate reviews.
• Integrated static analysis: CodeSonar’s deep code inspection runs on every merge request, catching defects early.
• Traceability: All analysis results are linked to GitLab issues, merge requests, and compliance documentation.
• Scalability: Supports large codebases and multiple development teams across projects.

How It Works

1. CodeSonar scans the source code on each pipeline run, generating detailed defect reports.
2. GitLab CI/CD orchestrates the scans, stores results as artifacts, and fails pipelines when critical issues are detected.
3. Compliance dashboards aggregate findings, map them to standard requirements, and provide audit‑ready evidence.

Implementation Steps

• Install CodeSonar on a dedicated analysis server or use a containerized version.
• Configure GitLab CI with a .gitlab-ci.yml job that invokes CodeSonar’s scanner.
• Define quality gates in GitLab to enforce thresholds for defect severity.
• Set up compliance reports using GitLab’s built‑in reporting features or custom dashboards.

Real‑World Impact

Teams that adopted this integrated solution reported:

• Up to 30 % reduction in time spent on manual compliance activities.
• Faster defect detection, leading to earlier fixes and lower rework costs.
• Improved audit readiness, with all evidence automatically captured in GitLab.

Getting Started

GitLab provides a starter template for CodeSonar integration, including sample CI configuration and best‑practice guidelines. Visit the GitLab documentation for step‑by‑step instructions and explore the community forum for tips from other embedded systems teams.