Prospector

Warnings

• breaking The `pylint-flask` tool was removed due to being unmaintained and incompatible with newer `setuptools` versions. Projects relying on `pylint-flask` through Prospector will no longer have those checks.
  Fix: Migrate any `pylint-flask` specific checks to alternative tools or manual review. Consider if `flake8-flask` or similar dedicated linters for Flask are needed and integrate them separately.
• gotcha Performance can be an issue on large codebases due to the aggregation of multiple analysis tools. This can lead to long CI/CD pipeline runtimes.
  Fix: Optimize configuration by disabling unnecessary tools or checks for specific parts of the codebase. Utilize caching mechanisms if available (e.g., in CI). Run Prospector incrementally on changed files where possible.
• gotcha Configuration can be complex. Managing profiles, tool-specific settings, and exclusions across `.prospector.yml`, `pyproject.toml`, or command-line arguments requires careful attention.
  Fix: Start with a minimal `.prospector.yml` and gradually add complexity. Leverage Prospector's built-in profiles (`strict`, `moderate`, `web`). Use `prospector --dump-config` to understand the active configuration.
• gotcha Prospector bundles specific versions of its underlying analysis tools. Upgrading Prospector can implicitly upgrade these tools, potentially introducing new errors or warnings that were not present in previous versions.
  Fix: Always test new Prospector versions in a staging environment before deploying to production. Review release notes for underlying tool version bumps. Pin Prospector to a specific version in `requirements.txt` or `pyproject.toml` to maintain stability.

Install

• pip install prospector Install latest stable version (minimal)
• pip install prospector[with_tools] Install with common analysis tools (recommended)

Imports

• run

  from prospector import run

  Prospector is primarily a command-line tool. Programmatic use often involves `subprocess` or `prospector.run` for direct execution within Python.

Quickstart

Run Prospector from the command line on a specified file or directory. For more control, use a configuration file like `.prospector.yml`.

# Run Prospector on a Python file or directory
# This will use default profiles and output to console.
prospector my_module.py

# Run with strict checks and a zero exit code on success
prospector --strict --zero-exit my_package/