Code Health Scores Validated: Why This Metric Outperforms Commercial Tools

Most code health metrics lack empirical validation, operating on assumptions rather than data. This research provides rigorous proof that a well-engineered health scoring system can be 2.3x more effective at identifying bug-prone files than leading commercial alternatives, while remaining lightweight and deterministic. For development teams, this challenges the status quo of quality assessment and offers a data-driven path to smarter code review priorities.