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Semgrep vs Trivy

Semgrep focuses on static code analysis for bugs and security, not container or IaC scanning

Which to pick

Pick Semgrep if you want…

  • AI-augmented static analysis across code and supply chain
  • Static analysis of source code
  • Integrations with CLI, CI/CD or VS Code (on Semgrep's list, not Trivy's)

Pick Trivy if you want…

  • All-in-one open-source security scanner
  • A free, open-source tool
  • Integrations with Docker, Kubernetes or Azure Container Registry (on Trivy's list, not Semgrep's)

Side by side

What it is
Semgrep:Semgrep is an extensible AppSec platform that combines AI-assisted SAST, SCA, secrets and malware detection to surface actionable security issues.
Trivy:Trivy is an open-source scanner that finds vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, secrets and generates SBOMs for code, containers and Kubernetes.
Best for
Semgrep:AI-augmented static analysis across code and supply chain
Trivy:All-in-one open-source security scanner
Who it’s for
Semgrep:Developers, AppSec teams and security leaders who need integrated static analysis.
Trivy:Developers and security teams needing fast, free scanning of code, images and infrastructure.
Pricing
Semgrep:Freemium
Trivy:Open source
Open source
Semgrep:Yes, 16,826 GitHub stars
Trivy:Yes, 38,170 GitHub stars
Works with
Semgrep:CLI, CI/CD, VS Code, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure, Jira
Trivy:Docker, Kubernetes, Azure Container Registry

Semgrep features

  • AI-assisted SAST, SCA & Secrets. Detect vulnerabilities, vulnerable dependencies and hard-coded secrets with rule-based analysis enhanced by AI.
  • Multimodal Detection. Combine deterministic static analysis with AI reasoning to find complex issues like IDORs and logic flaws.
  • Noise Filtering & Triage. AI learns code context to suppress false positives and prioritize real risks, reducing backlog.
  • Automated Remediation. Generate fix suggestions and upgrade guidance directly in PRs and IDEs.
  • Malware Firewall. Runs on developer machines to block malicious open-source packages before they reach the environment.
  • Incident Response Automation. Enterprise policies trigger Slack/Jira workflows and API alerts for rapid malware incident handling.
  • Wide Integration Support. CLI, CI/CD, VS Code, JetBrains, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure, Jira, APIs/webhooks and AI tool integrations.

Trivy features

  • Vulnerability scanning. Detects CVEs in binaries, container images and source code repositories.
  • Misconfiguration detection. Finds insecure settings in IaC templates and Kubernetes manifests.
  • Secret scanning. Identifies hard-coded credentials and secrets in code and images.
  • SBOM generation. Creates Software Bill of Materials for artifacts to track component licenses.
  • Cloud and Kubernetes scanning. Scans cloud resources and Kubernetes clusters for security issues.
  • Docker extension. Integrates as a Docker extension for easy image scanning in Docker workflows.

Semgrep vs Trivy FAQ

Is Semgrep or Trivy free?+

Semgrep has a free plan and paid plans. Trivy is free and open source.

Is Semgrep or Trivy open source?+

Yes, both are open source: Semgrep (semgrep/semgrep on GitHub, LGPL-2.1 license) and Trivy (aquasecurity/trivy on GitHub, Apache-2.0 license).

Do Semgrep and Trivy integrate with the same tools?+

Their integration lists don't overlap: Semgrep lists CLI, CI/CD, VS Code, GitHub and 10 more; Trivy lists Docker, Kubernetes and Azure Container Registry.

On DevHunt

Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.