The configuration parameter sonar.cxx.metric.api.file.suffixes is used to configure the CXX Metrics Public API .... The configuration can be done in the file sonar-project.properties or in the SonarQube UI under Administartion > Configuration > CXX.

For files with the file extensions specified, 'Public API' is searched for and a metric is created. The metric is displayed in the SonarQube UI under Project > Measures > CXX.

Example:

sonar.cxx.metric.api.file.suffixes=.h,.hpp

Following items are considered as Public API:

• classes/structures/unions
• class/structure/union members (public and protected only)
• template declarations
• enumeration declarations
• enumeration definitions
• typedef/alias declarations
• functions (global scope)
• variables (global scope)

Exceptions that do not require documentation:

• Member functions marked with identifier override. Assumption is that they are documented in the base class.
• Member functions marked with specifier delete or default
• Member functions defined outside of a class/struct. Assumption is that they are already documented inside of the class.

The following code illustrates a well documented class:

/**
  class documentation
 */
class DocumentedClass {
  public:

    DocumentedClass() = default;
    DocumentedClass& operator(const DocumentedClass&) = delete;

    int commentedVar; ///< documentation

    void apiFromBaseClass() = override;

    /**
      apiMethod documentation
     */
    void apiMethod();

  private:
    void notInApiMethod();
};

void DocumentedClass::apiMethod()
{
   // documentation should be within the class definition
}