How to create a simple static call graph in Java?

Question

I would like to generate a simple call graph in order to be able to analyze the flow of execution in methods in java.

So for example, if in the code I'm able to go from method X to method Y in a number of method calls, then I would like to generate the call graph which shows the flow from method X to method Y.

I tried using SOOT however I did not manage to get this required call graph. Does anyone know of an API which I can use to generate such call graphs? I'm using Eclipse, however I cannot use plugins, as this tool is needed to be used across a number of projects

Thanks a lot for your help

Hi, Did you manage to find a solution for this?

ramo
– ramo

2014-06-24 22:46:28 +00:00
Commented Jun 24, 2014 at 22:46 — ramo
– ramo, Commented Jun 24, 2014 at 22:46

Sridhar Sarnobat · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-06 19:23:21Z

3

This is as good an API as I've seen:

https://github.com/gousiosg/java-callgraph

answered Jun 6, 2012 at 19:23

Sridhar Sarnobat

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Klerisson · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-01 20:02:07Z

3

I have been looking into what static analysis libraries are available for Java recently. Here are some of them that I have come across:

Chord: seems to be a robust framework that is still being maintained/updated. Here is a link to some of the documentation on their predefined analysis (includes Call Graph stuff).
DepFinder: this tool is used for generating a dependency graph from a project, I imagine you could extract static call graph information from it.

edited Jun 1, 2016 at 20:02

Klerisson

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answered Feb 18, 2012 at 16:23

jbranchaud

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1 Comment

Steen Over a year ago

Chord seems dead now. All outgoing links 404s

Heiko Rupp · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-15 09:55:57Z

0

You could in Y throw an Exception that is caught in X and then analyze the Exceptions stack trace

// in X: 
try {
   do your calls ...
} catch (Exception e )  {
     StackTraceElement[] elements =  e.getStackTrace();
     for (StackTraceElement e : elements ) {
       // ... evaluate / print ...
       System.out.println(e);
     }
}

answered Feb 15, 2012 at 9:55

Heiko Rupp

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2 Comments

ict1991 Over a year ago

i will not be able to modify the code in the system that I am going to analyze. I need to use the call graph as part of a tool that i'm developing and will be used to analyze the code in a given project. so the code has to be left as is

Sridhar Sarnobat Over a year ago

Even though the strategy is limited to your source code like you said, anyone else reading this should make a note of this suggestion. It's the best solution I've seen so far.

rrevo · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-16 21:52:33Z

0

JTracer is a tool for understanding execution flow of Java programs by generating and visualizing call graphs. Various events like method entry and method exit are logged and visualized. No modification of code is required.

answered Jun 16, 2012 at 21:52

rrevo

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