# Introduction

Code metrics are used in:

* Rules to raise issues, for example, when a certain level of complexity is reached for a function in the code. See [SonarQube rules](/sonarqube-community-build/quality-standards-administration/managing-rules/rules.md) of Understanding rules page for more information.
* Quality gate definition, for example, you can set a condition on the total number of raised issues in the code. See [Understanding quality gates](/sonarqube-community-build/quality-standards-administration/managing-quality-gates/introduction-to-quality-gates.md) for more information.
* The mode of your SonarQube Community Build instance, either [MQR mode](/sonarqube-community-build/instance-administration/analysis-functions/instance-mode/mqr-mode.md) or [Standard Experience](/sonarqube-community-build/instance-administration/analysis-functions/instance-mode/standard-experience.md), will determine which code metrics you see in the UI.

You can use different tools in the SonarQube Server to monitor and compare your project code metrics.

{% hint style="info" %}
If you’re using an external monitoring system, you can retrieve the metric values through the [Web API](/sonarqube-community-build/extension-guide/web-api.md).
{% endhint %}

## Related pages <a href="#related-pages" id="related-pages"></a>

* [Understanding measures and metrics](/sonarqube-community-build/user-guide/code-metrics/metrics-definition.md)
* [Monitoring project metrics](/sonarqube-community-build/user-guide/code-metrics/monitoring-project-metrics.md)
* [Code metrics](/sonarqube-community-build/instance-administration/analysis-functions/metrics-parameters.md)


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