github · mbaluda · Sep 4, 2026 · Sep 4, 2026 · Sep 4, 2026 · Sep 4, 2026
diff --git a/change_notes/2026-09-04-add-exclusion-check-for-include-guards.md b/change_notes/2026-09-04-add-exclusion-check-for-include-guards.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+- `DIR-4-10`, `M16-2-3`, and `RULE-19-2-1`:
+  - Header files matched by a configured exclusion are no longer reported.
diff --git a/cpp/common/src/codingstandards/cpp/rules/includeguardsnotused/IncludeGuardsNotUsed.qll b/cpp/common/src/codingstandards/cpp/rules/includeguardsnotused/IncludeGuardsNotUsed.qll
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ class BlockedIncludeGuard extends HeaderFile {
 }
 
 query predicate problems(HeaderFile file, string message, HeaderFile other, string name) {
+  not isExcluded(file, getQuery()) and
   not file instanceof CorrectIncludeGuard and
   if file instanceof BlockedIncludeGuard
   then

diff --git a/cpp/common/test/rules/includeguardsnotused/IncludeGuardsNotUsed.expected b/cpp/common/test/rules/includeguardsnotused/IncludeGuardsNotUsed.expected
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@
 | headers/test4.hpp:0:0:0:0 | headers/test4.hpp | Header file test4.hpp is missing expected include guard. | headers/test4.hpp:0:0:0:0 | headers/test4.hpp |  |
 | headers/test5.hpp:0:0:0:0 | headers/test5.hpp | Header file test5.hpp is missing expected include guard. | headers/test5.hpp:0:0:0:0 | headers/test5.hpp |  |
 | headers/test6.hpp:0:0:0:0 | headers/test6.hpp | Header file test6.hpp is missing expected include guard. | headers/test6.hpp:0:0:0:0 | headers/test6.hpp |  |
+| headers/test7.hpp:0:0:0:0 | headers/test7.hpp | Header file test7.hpp is missing expected include guard. | headers/test7.hpp:0:0:0:0 | headers/test7.hpp |  |
diff --git a/cpp/common/test/rules/includeguardsnotused/headers/excluded/coding-standards.xml b/cpp/common/test/rules/includeguardsnotused/headers/excluded/coding-standards.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" ?>
+<codingstandards>
+   <!--GENERATED: DO NOT MODIFY. Changes should be made to coding-standards.yml instead.-->
+   <deviations>
+      <deviations-entry>
+         <rule-id>cpp-test-dummy</rule-id>
+         <justification>This header is deliberately excluded to test the exclusion mechanism.</justification>
+      </deviations-entry>
+   </deviations>
+</codingstandards>
diff --git a/cpp/common/test/rules/includeguardsnotused/headers/excluded/coding-standards.yml b/cpp/common/test/rules/includeguardsnotused/headers/excluded/coding-standards.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+deviations:
+  - rule-id: cpp-test-dummy
+    justification: This header is deliberately excluded to test the exclusion mechanism.
diff --git a/cpp/common/test/rules/includeguardsnotused/headers/excluded/test7.hpp b/cpp/common/test/rules/includeguardsnotused/headers/excluded/test7.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+// COMPLIANT - excluded via deviation
+int g7;
diff --git a/cpp/common/test/rules/includeguardsnotused/headers/test7.hpp b/cpp/common/test/rules/includeguardsnotused/headers/test7.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+// NON_COMPLIANT
+int g6;
diff --git a/cpp/common/test/rules/includeguardsnotused/test.cpp b/cpp/common/test/rules/includeguardsnotused/test.cpp
@@ -9,4 +9,8 @@
 
 #include "headers/test5.hpp" //COMPLIANT - non unique precedes malformed
 
-#include "headers/test6.hpp" //COMPLIANT - non unique
+#include "headers/test6.hpp" //COMPLIANT - non unique
+
+#include "headers/test7.hpp" //NON_COMPLIANT - missing include guard, not excluded
+
+#include "headers/excluded/test7.hpp" // COMPLIANT - excluded via deviation
Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
		@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
		- `DIR-4-10`, `M16-2-3`, and `RULE-19-2-1`:
		- Header files matched by a configured exclusion are no longer reported.