Rational Analyzer scans code before compiling.
IBM is rolling out a new system designed to help developers catch potential software bugs early on.
The Rational Software Analyzer will be included in the latest version of IBM's Eclipse development tool. The company said that the tool will function in a way similar to the grammar-checking tools on a word processor, allowing developers to see potential problems as they write the code.
IBM suggested that much of the problem with buggy code is due to the fact that errors do not often get noticed until after the application has been built and the software has reached testers, making it more difficult to find and correct problems.
Big Blue estimates companies lose an average of $16,000 per bug that makes it into the final version of a product.
"Software project failures impact the bottom line and as levels of complexity in software continue to rise, software developers need to create more stable software in less time," contended Daniel Sabbah, IBM's general manager for Rational Software.
"This is the business reality of software and systems delivery."
The company likened the analyzer tool to a proofreader going over a writer's manuscript, scanning each line of code 700 times for possible errors. In this way, the company contends, potential bugs can be found before the code is complied and developers can see a reduction in bugs of anywhere from 15 to 20 per cent.
Developers who want to get their hands of the Rational analyzer the will be asked to pay $3,500 each. A larger server edition with unlimited user access is also being offered for $50,000.