> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.sonarsource.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.sonarsource.com/sonarqube-server/8.9/user-guide/clean-as-you-code.md).
# Quality standards and new code
Improve code quality by focusing on new code and applying consistent quality standards. This page is for SonarQube Server 8.9.
{% hint style="info" %}
**For AI agents:** You're in the SonarQube Server 8.9 documentation. For a list of all 8.9 pages, see the [SonarQube Server 8.9 page index](https://4108688904-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FG0n8jfxwZN8LmyH08dMa%2Fuploads%2F8WN59Z2YOHCj6T8O2i2L%2Fsonarqube-server-8.9-llms.txt?alt=media). For the whole site, see the [page index](https://docs.sonarsource.com/llms.txt) or the [full text](https://docs.sonarsource.com/llms-full.txt). For another version, replace 8.9 in the URL with that version. The [latest version](https://docs.sonarsource.com/sonarqube-server/) has no version number in its URL.
{% endhint %}
## Defining a quality standard
SonarQube Server helps you improve code quality by focusing on new code and applying consistent quality standards. As a developer, you focus on maintaining high standards for the code you add or change. SonarQube Server gives you the tools to enforce those standards and take pride in shipping maintainable and secure code.
## Understanding the benefits of focusing on new code
To get a visual representation of the benefits of focusing on new code based on the data in your projects:
1. Download and install the [Clean as You Code stats](https://github.com/SonarSource/sonar-cayc-stats-plugin?tab=readme-ov-file#installation) plugin.
2. In SonarQube Server, navigate to **More** > **Clean as You Code**.
## Focus on new code
By focusing on [Defining New Code](/sonarqube-server/8.9/project-administration/defining-new-code.md) (code that has been added or changed according to your new code definition), you can make sure the code you write today is maintainable and secure.
The [Defining New Code](/sonarqube-server/8.9/project-administration/defining-new-code.md) definition can be set at different levels (global, project, and, starting in [Developer Edition](https://www.sonarsource.com/plans-and-pricing/developer/), at the branch level). Depending on the level at which your new code definition is set, you can change the starting point to fit your situation.
For more information on setting your [Defining New Code](/sonarqube-server/8.9/project-administration/defining-new-code.md), check out [https://app.gitbook.com/s/okrRDNmcwFJDrkLkn0sz/project-administration/defining-new-code](https://app.gitbook.com/s/okrRDNmcwFJDrkLkn0sz/project-administration/defining-new-code "mention").
## Personal responsibility
By focusing on new code, you aren’t responsible for anyone else’s code. You own the quality and security of the code you are working on today. If you add new issues, SonarQube Server automatically assigns them to you so you can maintain the quality of your code.
For more information on issues and how they are assigned, check out the [Issues](/sonarqube-server/8.9/user-guide/issues.md) page.
## Quality gate
Your [Quality gates](/sonarqube-server/8.9/user-guide/quality-gates.md) is a set of conditions that tells you whether or not your project is ready for release. To support improving code quality, your quality gate should:
* **Focus on New code metrics** – When your quality gate is set to focus on new code metrics (like the built-in Sonar way quality gate), new features will be delivered cleanly. As long as your quality gate is green, your releases will continue to improve.
* **Set and enforce high standards** – When standards are set and enforced on new code, you aren’t worried about having to meet those standards in old code and having to clean up someone else’s code. You can take pride in meeting high standards in *your* code. If a project doesn’t meet these high standards, it won’t pass the quality gate, and is therefore not ready to be released.
For more information on quality gates and to make sure your quality gate is enforcing your standards, check out the [https://app.gitbook.com/s/okrRDNmcwFJDrkLkn0sz/user-guide/quality-gates](https://app.gitbook.com/s/okrRDNmcwFJDrkLkn0sz/user-guide/quality-gates "mention") page.
## Pull request analysis
You can use pull request analysis and pull request decoration to make sure that your code meets your standards before merging. Pull request analysis lets you see your pull request’s quality gate in the SonarQube Server UI. You can then decorate your pull requests with SonarQube Server issues directly in your DevOps platform’s interface.
For more information on setting up pull request analysis and pull request decoration, see the documentation on[Pull request analysis](/sonarqube-server/8.9/analyzing-source-code/pull-request-analysis.md).
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