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Semgrep

Fast, open-source static analysis tool for finding security vulnerabilities and bugs in code.

  • Open source
  • Free forever
Semgrep screenshot

What is Semgrep?

Semgrep is an open-source static analysis tool that scans your codebase to find security vulnerabilities, bugs, and code quality issues before they reach production. It works by matching code patterns against a library of rules, allowing you to catch problems early in the development cycle. The tool supports multiple programming languages including Python, JavaScript, Java, Go, C, and others. You can run Semgrep locally on your machine, integrate it into your CI/CD pipeline, or use it through the web interface. Because it's open-source, you can inspect the rules, customise them for your needs, and contribute improvements back to the community. Semgrep is designed for developers and security teams who want practical, fast scanning without the overhead of more complex solutions. It's particularly useful if you prefer transparent tooling that you can audit and modify yourself.

Key features

Pattern-based scanning

Matches code against configurable rules to find vulnerabilities and bugs

Multi-language support

Covers Python, JavaScript, Java, Go, C, Ruby, TypeScript, and others

Local and CI/CD integration

Run on your machine or add to your development pipeline

Custom rule creation

Write your own rules using Semgrep's rule language for organisation-specific patterns

Fast performance

Designed to scan codebases quickly without lengthy analysis times

Open-source rulesets

Access publicly maintained rule libraries for common security issues

Pros & cons

Advantages

  • Completely free and open-source; no licensing fees
  • Transparent rules you can read, understand, and modify yourself
  • Fast scanning suitable for regular use in development workflows
  • Easy to integrate into existing CI/CD pipelines
  • Active community contributing rules and improvements

Limitations

  • Requires some technical knowledge to write custom rules effectively
  • May produce false positives depending on rule configuration; needs tuning for your codebase
  • Smaller ecosystem of pre-built rules compared to some commercial alternatives

Use cases

Adding security scanning to your CI/CD pipeline to catch issues before deployment

Finding common vulnerabilities in legacy codebases you've inherited

Enforcing consistent code patterns and security practices across a team

Scanning code during code review to flag potential problems early

Building custom rules to detect organisation-specific security or quality concerns

Ready to try Semgrep?

Pricing

Open Source

Free

Full access to core scanning engine, local usage, community rules, custom rule creation

Get started with Semgrep

Click through to Semgrep and start using it now.

  • Open source
  • Free forever