---
schema_version: "1"
id: 3064681a7e8d037e33ad8a70ea1a44bd7cf05a9a034d7b53fd159339c70bf955
title: Create a Custom PMD Rule Using MCP Tools (Developer Preview)
collection: developer
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/developer/current/en-us/code-analyzer/salesforce-code-analyzer/guides/custom-pmd-rule.md
canonical_url: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-code-analyzer/guide/custom-pmd-rule.html
source_site: developer.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 131c4d0ca54140797d43daaa0fe47781d073cc2b13891059de7ff2c4a795a1f6
products:
  - Salesforce Code Analyzer
---
# Create a Custom PMD Rule Using MCP Tools (Developer Preview)
Use the MCP tools `get_ast_nodes_to_generate_xpath` and `create_custom_rule` to generate custom PMD rules for Apex and Visualforce code in MCP clients such as Agentforce Vibes. Define organization-specific coding standards and detect custom patterns by entering a prompt that describes what to flag, such as deeply nested if statements or `System.debug` usage in Apex. Code Analyzer uses `get_ast_nodes_to_generate_xpath` to extract AST nodes and generate XPath with AI, then uses `create_custom_rule` to create the rule and add it to `code-analyzer.yml`.

To create a custom PMD rule to flag deeply nested if statement, use these steps

1. [Access the Code Analyzer MCP tools](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-code-analyzer/guides/mcp.md)
2. In an MCP client such as Agentforce Vibes, enter a prompt like: “Help me create a rule to flag if statements that are three levels deep.”
3. The tool generates a sample code that violates the rule. Approve or refine the sample code.
   
  ```
        {
        "sampleCode": "public with sharing class NestedIfViolationExample {\n\tpublic static Integer checkDepth(Integer a, Integer b, Integer c, Integer d) {\n    \tInteger x = 0;\n    \tif (a > 0) {             \t// depth 1\n        \tif (b > 0) {         \t// depth 2\n            \tif (c > 0) {     \t// depth 3\n                \tif (d > 0) {\t// depth 4 -> VIOLATION (>= 4)\n                    \tx = 1;\n                \t}\n            \t}\n        \t}\n    \t}\n    \treturn x;\n\t}\n}\n",
        "language": "apex",
        "engine": "pmd"
      }

  ```
  4. The tool generates the XPath by extracting the relevant AST nodes for your prompt. Modify the query as needed.
      ![MCP client generates xpath query](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/media/salesforce-code-analyzer/generate-xpath.png)
  5. The tool creates the rule in an XML file and updates the code-analyzer.yml with the new rule.
      ![MCP client generates xpath file](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/media/salesforce-code-analyzer/xpath-file.png)

      ![MCP client updates config file with the rule](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/media/salesforce-code-analyzer/config-file.png)
  6. Verify the rule by running Code Analyzer against your target codebase. For example:

  ```
      sf code-analyzer run --target "force-app/main/default/classes/NestedIfExample.cls"

  ```
      ![Verify the rule against a target code base](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/media/salesforce-code-analyzer/verify-target.png)

You can also ask the tool to generate additional sample code that violates the rule, so you can confirm the analyzer flags the expected violations.

## See Also
- [PMD Engine](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-code-analyzer/guide/engine-pmd.md)
- [Use MCP Tools to Analyze Your Code](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-code-analyzer/guide/mcp.md)