# Best Software Composition Analysis Tools - Page 5 *By [Adam Crivello](https://research.g2.com/insights/author/adam-crivello)* Software composition analysis (SCA) tools enables users to analyze and manage the open-source elements of their applications. Companies and developers use SCA tools to verify licensing and assess vulnerabilities associated with each of their applications’ open-source components. More robust than [vulnerability scanner software](https://www.g2.com/categories/vulnerability-scanner), SCA tools automatically scan all open-source components to check for policy and license compliance, security risks, and version updates. SCA software also provides insights for remedying identified vulnerabilities, usually within the reports generated after a scan. Companies and developers often use SCA tools in conjunction with [static code analysis software](https://www.g2.com/categories/static-code-analysis), which scans the code behind their applications as opposed to the open-source components. To qualify for inclusion within the Software Composition Analysis (SCA) category, a product must: - Automatically track and analyze an application’s open source-components - Identify component vulnerabilities, licensing and compliance issues, and version updates - Provide insight into vulnerability remediation ## Best Software Composition Analysis Tools At A Glance - **Leader:** [Wiz](https://www.g2.com/products/wiz-wiz/reviews) - **Highest Performer:** [Jit](https://www.g2.com/products/jit/reviews) - **Easiest to Use:** [Wiz](https://www.g2.com/products/wiz-wiz/reviews) - **Top Trending:** [Aikido Security](https://www.g2.com/products/aikido-security/reviews) - **Best Free Software:** [GitLab](https://www.g2.com/products/gitlab/reviews) --- **Sponsored** ### JFrog JFrog Ltd. (Nasdaq: FROG), the creators of the unified DevOps, DevSecOps, DevGovOps and MLOps platform, is on a mission to create a world of software delivered without friction from development to production. Driven by a “Liquid Software” vision, the JFrog Platform is a software supply chain system of record that is designed to power organizations as they build, manage, and distribute secure software with speed and scale. Holistic security features help identify, protect, and remediate against threats and vulnerabilities. The universal, hybrid, multi-cloud JFrog Platform is available as both SaaS services across major cloud service providers and self-hosted. Millions of users and approximately 6,600 organizations worldwide, including a majority of the Fortune 100, depend on JFrog solutions to securely embrace digital transformation in the AI era. Learn more at www.jfrog.com or follow us on X @JFrog. [Visit company website](https://www.g2.com/external_clickthroughs/record?secure%5Bad_program%5D=ppc&secure%5Bad_slot%5D=category_product_list&secure%5Bcategory_id%5D=2041&secure%5Bdisplayable_resource_id%5D=2041&secure%5Bdisplayable_resource_type%5D=Category&secure%5Bmedium%5D=sponsored&secure%5Bplacement_reason%5D=page_category&secure%5Bplacement_resource_ids%5D%5B%5D=2041&secure%5Bprioritized%5D=false&secure%5Bproduct_id%5D=143017&secure%5Bresource_id%5D=2041&secure%5Bresource_type%5D=Category&secure%5Bsource_type%5D=category_page&secure%5Bsource_url%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.g2.com%2Fcategories%2Fsoftware-composition-analysis%3Flocale%3Dde%26page%3D5&secure%5Btoken%5D=5db109d0898c68a750d960ed082f470b95829fc7a1f0168372ae468c3adff146&secure%5Burl%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fjfrog.com%2Fartifactory%2F%3Futm_source%3Dg2%26utm_medium%3Dcpc_social%26utm_campaign%3Dbrand_awareness_banner_ad%26utm_content%3Du-bin&secure%5Burl_type%5D=custom_url) --- ## Parent Category [DevSecOps Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/devsecops) ## Related Categories - [Vulnerability Scanner Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/vulnerability-scanner) - [Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/static-application-security-testing-sast) - [Secure Code Review Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/secure-code-review) --- ## Buyer Guide ### What You Should Know About Software Composition Analysis Software ### What is Software Composition Analysis Software? Software composition analysis (SCA) refers to the management and evaluation of open source and third-party components within the development environment. Software developers and development teams use SCA to keep tabs on the hundreds of open source components incorporated in their builds. These components fall out of compliance and require version updates; if left unchecked they can pose major security risks. With so many components to track, developers lean on SCA to automatically manage issues. SCA tools scan for actionable items and alerts developers, allowing teams to focus on development rather than manually combing through a mess of software components. In conjunction with tools such as [vulnerability scanner](https://www.g2.com/categories/vulnerability-scanner) and [dynamic application security testing (DAST) software](https://www.g2.com/categories/dynamic-application-security-testing-dast), software composition analysis integrates with the development environment to curate a secure DevOps workflow. The synergy between cybersecurity and DevOps, sometimes referred to as DevSecOps, answers an urgent call for developers to approach software development with a security-first mindset. For a long time, software developers have relied on open source and third-party components, leaving siloed cybersecurity professionals to clean up builds. This outdated standard often leaves large unresolved gaps in security for stretches of time. Software composition analysis presents a solution for ensuring secure compliance before the worst happens. Key Benefits of Software Composition Analysis Software - Help keep development secure - Ease the workloads of developers - Build a productive workflow across teams ### Why Use Software Composition Analysis Software? Security best practices are a necessary staple in any DevOps environment. Beyond industry standards, secure development is increasingly important as issues such as API vulnerabilities come to the forefront of cybersecurity. There are often many open source and third-party components in a software build—ensuring components are constantly updated and secure is a task better left to software. Software composition analysis does the job and saves development teams significant time and energy. **Peace of mind —** Software composition analysis software constantly evaluates open source components. This means developers and teams can focus on advancing their projects without worrying about a mess of unchecked components. In the event of any issues, SCA software alerts users and provides suggestions for remediation. **Seamless security —** Most SCA software integrates with preexisting development environments, meaning users don’t have to navigate between windows to address vulnerabilities. Developers can receive important and relevant information about the open source and third-party components in their builds without detaching themselves from their workspace. ### Who Uses Software Composition Analysis Software? DevOps teams that want to implement security best practices use SCA software as an integral part of the DevSecOps tool kit. SCA software empowers developers to proactively keep their open source and third-party components secure, rather than leave a mess of vulnerabilities for siloed cybersecurity team members to clean up. Tools like SCA software help break down the barriers between DevOps and cybersecurity practices, curating an integrated and agile workflow. **Solo developers —** While SCA software does wonders for larger teams looking to marry their cybersecurity and DevOps processes, solo developers benefit from their own automated security watchdog. Developers working alone on personal projects can’t expect cybersecurity to be taken care of by someone else, so tools like SCA software help them manage their open source vulnerabilities without eating into their time and energy. **Small development teams —** Similar to solo developers, small development teams often lack the assets to employ a full-time cybersecurity professional. SCA software also aids these teams, allowing them to focus their limited resources on building their project. **Large DevOps teams —** Midsize and enterprise DevOps teams rely on SCA software to shape a secure and common sense DevSecOps workflow. Rather than isolate cybersecurity professionals from the DevOps process, companies use tools like SCA to integrate cybersecurity as a default standard for development. This practice mitigates stressors on both developers and IT teams by enabling a more agile environment. ### Software Composition Analysis Software Features **Comprehensive insights —** SCA software gives users meaningful visibility into the open source and third-party components they use. These tools organize relevant and timely information and present developers with useful updates. This interface often requires some level of development knowledge, meaning the onus is on developers to act on any information presented by SCA tools. Version updates, compliance issues, and vulnerabilities are constantly evaluated so users can be alerted as soon as issues arise. **Remediation information —** Beyond identifying issues with developers’ open source components, SCA software provides users with relevant documentation for remediation. These suggestions give knowledgeable developers a jumping off point so they can address vulnerabilities in a timely manner. These remediation suggestions typically require development knowledge to understand, but developers can often pass these remediation tasks to cybersecurity professionals on their team. ### Trends Related to Software Composition Analysis Software **DevOps —** DevOps refers to the marriage of development and IT operations management to make unified software development pipelines. Teams have implemented DevOps best practices to build, test, and release software. SCA software’s seamless blending with integrated development environments (IDEs) means it fits right in with any DevOps cycle. **Cybersecurity —** Calls for standardized cybersecurity best practices as part of DevOps philosophy, often referred to as DevSecOps, have shifted the responsibility for secure applications to developers. SCA software’s vulnerability detection and remediation features play a necessary role in establishing secure DevOps practices. ### Software and Services Related to Software Composition Analysis Software [**Vulnerability scanner software**](https://www.g2.com/categories/vulnerability-scanner) **—** Vulnerability scanners constantly monitor applications and networks to identify vulnerabilities. These tools scan full applications and networks then test them against known vulnerabilities. All of these functions work in conjunction with SCA software to form a comprehensive security stack. [**Static application security testing (SAST) software**](https://www.g2.com/categories/static-application-security-testing-sast) **—** SAST software inspects and analyzes an application’s code to discover security vulnerabilities without actually executing code. Similar to SCA software, these tools identify vulnerabilities and provide remediation suggestions. There is functional overlap with static code analysis software, but SAST software specifically focuses on security, while static code analysis software has a broader scope. [**Dynamic application security testing (DAST) software**](https://www.g2.com/categories/dynamic-application-security-testing-dast) **—** DAST tools automate security tests for a variety of real-world threats. These tools run applications against simulated attacks and other cybersecurity scenarios using black box testing, or testing performed outside an application. [**Static code analysis software**](https://www.g2.com/categories/static-code-analysis) **—** Static code analysis is a debugging and quality assurance method that inspects a computer program’s code without executing the program. Static code analysis software scans code to identify security vulnerabilities, catch bugs, and ensure the code adheres to industry standards. These tools help software developers automate the core aspects of program comprehension. While static code analysis is similar to static application security testing, this software covers a broader scope as opposed to focusing solely on security.