---
title: AutoScan Beta Feature
nav: AutoScan
url: /autoscan/
---

SonarCloud can autonomously scan your code, by simply reading it from your repository! We call that AutoScan.

[[info]]
| This is currently a Beta feature, with a limited scope and some caveats. Those limitations will be removed along the way.


## Prerequisites

* The first version of this Beta feature works only for GitHub repositories. 
* The automatic analysis can be activated only on projects which were set up through the SonarCloud web interface.

## What to expect

Once activated, SonarCloud will automatically analyze: 
* the default branch of the repository
* the pull requests (PR) on that default branch

It will take care of doing it whenever you push on your repository.

The following languages are currently supported: 
* ABAP
* Apex
* CSS
* Flex
* Go
* HTML
* JS
* Kotlin
* PHP
* Python
* Ruby
* Scala
* Swift
* TypeScript
* TSQL
* XML

## How to activate the feature?

To enable the automatic analysis, you need to add a `.sonarcloud.properties` file in your repository.

If you're starting from scratch:

1. Do the [setup for your project](/#sonarcloud#/projects/create) (from the `+ > Analyze new project` top right menu)
    * ![](/images/exclamation.svg) Remember that your project must absolutely be created by selecting a GitHub repository - otherwise it won't work.
1. Once the setup is done on SonarCloud, you end up on the project home page which shows a tutorial. Ignore it and simply add a `.sonarcloud.properties` file in the base directory of your default branch (or on a PR which targets this default branch). 
1. After a while, the analysis results will be visible in SonarCloud (and your PR will be annotated with comments if you pushed the file on a PR)

Here are the supported optional settings for the `.sonarcloud.properties` file:
```
# Path to sources
#sonar.sources=.
#sonar.exclusions=
#sonar.inclusions=

# Path to tests
#sonar.tests=
#sonar.test.exclusions=
#sonar.test.inclusions=

# Source encoding
#sonar.sourceEncoding=UTF-8

# Exclusions for copy-paste detection
#sonar.cpd.exclusions=
```

Note that you can just push an empty `.sonarcloud.properties` file, this will work fine. In this case, every file in the repository will be considered as a source file.

## Current limitations/caveats

* There is no visual feedback (yet) in the UI when SonarCloud runs an analysis.
* A consequence of the previous point is that if - for any reason, SonarCloud fails to successfully run the analysis, nothing will be displayed. In that case, just come on [the forum](https://community.sonarsource.com/tags/c/help/sc/autoscan) and ask a question, we'll monitor that closely.
* Pull requests from forks are not analyzed (only PRs from the same repository)
* Code coverage information is not supported
* Import of external rule engine reports is not supported

## Noteworthy

* This Beta feature works for any project - public or private.
* It can be activated with no extra cost.
* Sources are cloned only during the analysis, and only when the `.sonarcloud.properties` file exists (i.e. when the feature is activated). The cloned repository is fully deleted at the end of the analysis, and SonarCloud does not keep a copy of it.
* Non supported languages (Java, C#, VB.NET, C/C++, ObjectiveC) are not analyzed at all.

## How to give feedback?

Create a new thread on the forum, under ["Get Help > SonarCloud"](https://community.sonarsource.com/tags/c/help/sc/autoscan), with the "autoscan" tag.

We'd love to hear your feedback about this new upcoming feature, may it be about bugs, improvements, or anything you want to share with us!