SAST Tools in 2025

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) in 2025 is no longer “just run a scanner once a year.”

Modern tools:

• Scan many languages (not just Java/.NET)
• Bundle SAST with SCA, secrets, IaC, containers
• Hook into CI/CD, IDEs, and PRs
• Come as SaaS, self-hosted, or both

This guide is for doers: dev leads, AppSec engineers, and hands-on security folks who actually have to pick and run tools.

We’ll cover:

• How to think about SAST in 2025
• Evaluation criteria that matter in practice
• Major tool families (modern dev-first, enterprise, OSS)
• Comparison tables + “start here if you’re X” advice

I’ll focus on actively used, mainstream tools as of late 2025, not every experimental GitHub repo. Always check vendor docs for exact version support.

1. What “SAST” means in 2025 (and why everything feels like a platform)

Historically, SAST = static code analysis for security flaws.

By 2025, most “SAST tools” are actually AppSec platforms that also do:

• SCA – dependency / SBOM vulnerability scanning
• Secrets detection – hard-coded keys, tokens, passwords
• IaC / container / K8s misconfig scanning
• IDE plugins, PR comments, and policy dashboards

So when we say “SAST tool” today, we often mean “platform that includes SAST plus other stuff.”

Keep that in mind as we compare options.

2. Evaluation criteria that matter

For each tool, these are the things a doer usually cares about:

1. Languages & frameworks

   • Does it handle your primary stacks (JS/TS, Java, .NET, Go, Python, etc.)?
   • Does it understand your frameworks (Rails, Spring, ASP.NET, Django, React, etc.)?

2. Security coverage

   • SAST only, or also:
     • Secrets in code / config
     • SCA (dependency vulns, SBOM)
     • IaC / container / K8s checks

3. Workflow integration

   • CI/CD integration (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, ADO, Circle, etc.)
   • IDE support (VS Code, JetBrains, etc.)
   • PR/MR comments and status checks

4. Deployment model

   • SaaS
   • Self-host/on-prem (VMs, Kubernetes)
   • Hybrid

5. Extensibility & noise

   • Can you write custom rules?
   • How is the false-positive profile?
   • Is triage manageable at scale?

6. Licensing & cost posture

   • Open source
   • Freemium / “community edition”
   • Commercial (per seat / per LOC / per app)

We’ll use this lens as we go.

3. Modern, developer-first SAST / AppSec platforms

3.1 Semgrep AppSec Platform

What it is

Semgrep started as an open-source pattern-based SAST engine; by 2025 it’s a full AppSec platform with:

• Semgrep Code – SAST for many languages
• Semgrep Supply Chain – SCA + “reachability” (is the vulnerable package actually called?)
• Semgrep Secrets – language-agnostic secrets detection with 630+ credential types

Languages

• SAST supports “more than two dozen” languages: GA for C#, Go, Java, JS/TS, Kotlin, PHP, Python, Ruby, Scala, Swift, plus many others as beta/experimental (Bash, Terraform-adjacent, YAML, etc.). :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Secrets, SCA, IaC

• Secrets: Semgrep Secrets is language-agnostic; detects hundreds of secret types + validates many of them locally.
• SCA: Semgrep Supply Chain analyzes dependencies, correlates vulns with code usage (“reachability”).
• IaC / config: YAML, Dockerfile, and other config languages can be scanned with Semgrep rules.

Integration & deployment

• CLI runs locally (semgrep ci) – code doesn’t have to leave your infra by default.
• Integrations: GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, generic CI; PR comments; IDE plugins.
• Self-host: Semgrep App can be deployed in your own environment; OSS engine is fully local.
• SaaS: Semgrep Cloud / AppSec platform with rules, triage UI, policies.

Extensibility

• Rule language is simple YAML with pattern matching.

• 20k+ proprietary rules + community rules. Good fit if…

• You want one platform for SAST+SCA+secrets, with strong rule customisation and local-first scanning.

• You care about polyglot repos and developer-friendly rules.

3.2 Snyk Code (part of Snyk platform)

What it is

Snyk is a dev-first cloud security platform. Snyk Code is their SAST engine, alongside:

• Snyk Open Source – SCA
• Snyk IaC – IaC misconfig scanning
• Container, cloud, and other security products.

Languages

Snyk’s supported-languages table lists broad coverage, with Snyk Code support for: Apex, C/C++, Go, Groovy, Java/Kotlin, JS/TS, .NET, PHP, Python, and more.

Secrets, SCA, IaC

• SAST: Snyk Code.
• SCA: Snyk Open Source across many ecosystems.
• IaC: Snyk IaC supports Terraform, CloudFormation, ARM, Kubernetes manifests, Helm charts.
• Secrets: Snyk’s platform includes secret scanning capabilities (often marketed under cloud/AppSec features).

Integration & deployment

• Deep SCM integrations with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, ADO; CLI for any CI.
• IDE plugins for VS Code, JetBrains, etc.
• Primarily SaaS, with options for on-prem/hybrid in enterprise tiers.

Good fit if…

• You’re already using Snyk for SCA/container/IaC and want SAST in the same place.
• You want SaaS-first with good cloud-native and container support.

3.3 SonarQube / SonarCloud (Sonar)

What it is

Sonar (SonarQube server + SonarCloud SaaS) started as a code quality tool; it now has strong security and secrets detection:

• Security rules integrated into many languages.
• Secrets detection across “400+ secret patterns” as of 2025.

Languages

Sonar supports dozens of languages (Java, JS/TS, C#, C/C++, Python, Go, PHP, Kotlin, Swift, etc.) with security and quality rules.

Secrets, SCA, IaC

• Secrets: built-in secrets detection in SonarQube Server (Community and up) scanning source and config files.
• SCA: recent releases mention “continuous dependency monitoring” and third-party risk visibility (more in commercial tiers).
• IaC checks exist but SAST + secrets remain the core.

Integration & deployment

• SonarQube: self-hosted server (on-prem, VM, Kubernetes).
• SonarCloud: SaaS with GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket integrations.
• Works via scanners in CI and IDEs.

Good fit if…

• You already use Sonar for code quality and want security + secrets without adding another vendor.
• You care about broad language coverage and self-hosting.

3.4 GitHub Advanced Security (GHAS: CodeQL, secrets, SCA)

What it is

If you’re on GitHub, GHAS is the native AppSec suite:

• Code scanning with CodeQL (SAST)
• Secret scanning for many credential types
• Dependency scanning via Dependabot & related features

Languages

CodeQL supports multiple compiled and interpreted languages; in 2025 it includes Java, JS/TS, Python, C/C++, C#, Go, Ruby, and more.

Recent updates:

• Rust support and build-less C/C++ scanning GA in Oct 2025.

Secrets, SCA, IaC

• Secrets: secret scanning for API keys/tokens/passwords in repos (public & eligible private).
• SCA: GHAS and GitHub’s security features include dependency alerts, Dependabot upgrades, and advisory DB.
• IaC: some coverage through partner integrations and GitHub Actions.

Integration & deployment

• Native on GitHub repos via Code scanning and security settings.
• CodeQL CLI supports offline/local scans and custom pipelines; you can upload SARIF back to GitHub.
• Also available for Azure DevOps via “GitHub Advanced Security for Azure DevOps.”

Self-host

• CodeQL can run fully on-prem; alerts can be uploaded to GitHub.com or GHES (enterprise server).

Good fit if…

• Your code is already on GitHub.
• You want SAST + secrets + SCA without adding another vendor.

3.5 GitLab SAST & Advanced SAST

What it is

GitLab has long bundled security into its pipeline. In 2024–2025 they released GitLab Advanced SAST, with cross-file taint analysis and custom rules.

Languages

• GitLab SAST auto-detects languages and runs the right analyzers.
• Advanced SAST supports C#, C/C++, Go, Java/JSP, JS/TS, PHP, Python, Ruby (more added over time).

Secrets, SCA, IaC

• SAST is one piece of GitLab’s Secure stage:
  • Dependency scanning (SCA)
  • Container scanning
  • IaC security
  • Secret detection

Integration & deployment

• Native in GitLab CI (one include to add SAST templates).
• Works in self-managed GitLab and GitLab.com SaaS.
• IDE extensions bring some checks into dev workflows.

Extensibility

• Advanced SAST now lets you define custom pattern-based rules in addition to curated rules.

Good fit if…

• You’re already “all-in” on GitLab.
• You want SAST + SCA + container/IaC under one GitLab subscription.

3.6 Trivy (Aqua Security)

What it is

Trivy is an open-source scanner from Aqua Security for:

• Vulnerabilities in containers & packages
• IaC misconfigurations
• Secrets
• SBOMs
• And increasingly: code/SAST as part of IDE and pipeline integration

Languages / coverage

• Core use-case: containers, OS packages, IaC (Terraform, CloudFormation, ARM, K8s, Helm).
• Recent VS Code integration adds vulnerability, misconfig, secrets, and SAST scanning in the editor.

Secrets, SCA, IaC

• Secrets: detects hard-coded secrets in code and images.
• SCA: vulnerability scanning for dependencies in images and repos.
• IaC: misconfig scanning across Terraform, CloudFormation, K8s, ARM, Helm.

Integration & deployment

• CLI binary; easy to drop into any CI/CD (trivy fs, trivy image, etc.).
• IDE integration (VS Code, JetBrains) for “shift-left” scanning.
• Fully self-hosted by default; Aqua offers a commercial platform on top.

Good fit if…

• You want open-source scanning across containers + IaC + secrets and some SAST, and you’re comfortable composing it with other tools as needed.

4. Enterprise / “classic” SAST vendors

These tools shine in large orgs with big monoliths, mixed legacy stacks, and compliance requirements.

4.1 Checkmarx One

What it is

Checkmarx One is a unified platform for: SAST, DAST, SCA, API security, containers, and IaC.

Languages

Checkmarx supports a very broad set of languages: Python, Java, C#, JavaScript, C++, PHP, Ruby, Rust, Swift, and more, plus many frameworks.

Secrets, SCA, IaC

• SAST: core Checkmarx SAST scanner.
• SCA: Checkmarx SCA; integrated in Checkmarx One.
• Secrets: marketed as part of unified platform (secrets detection across repos).
• IaC: IaC scanners and policies in Checkmarx One.

Integration & deployment

• CI/CD: Jenkins, GitLab, GitHub, ADO, etc.
• IDE plugins, SCM integrations.
• Self-host and SaaS options; designed for large portfolios.

Good fit if…

• You’re a sizeable org with strong governance requirements and want a single vendor for SAST+SCA+DAST+IaC.
• You need deep framework coverage for “enterprisey” stacks.

4.2 Veracode Static Analysis

What it is

Veracode is a long-standing SaaS-centric AppSec platform with:

• Static Analysis (SAST)
• SCA
• Dynamic analysis, container security, etc.

Languages

Veracode Static Analysis supports “all widely used languages” for desktop, web, and mobile, including C/C++, Java, C#, .NET, PHP, JS/TS, Kotlin, Scala, COBOL, and more.

Recent updates show ongoing improvements to JS/TS frameworks, Kotlin, and others.

Secrets, SCA, IaC

• SAST: full-stack static analysis (classic Veracode).
• SCA: separate Veracode SCA component integrated into the platform.
• Secrets & IaC are addressed via platform features and integrations (depending on tier).

Integration & deployment

• Strong focus on SaaS: upload binaries or source for scanning.
• “Pipeline Scan” CLI designed for CI/CD; supports .NET, Android, C/C++, Java, JS/TS, PHP, Python, Scala, etc.
• IDE integrations, policy management, central dashboards.

Good fit if…

• You’re okay with SaaS and want a mature, governance-heavy SAST with broad language support.
• You favor binary scanning over full source in some cases.

4.3 OpenText SAST (Fortify Static Code Analyzer)

What it is

Fortify (now OpenText SAST) is one of the original enterprise SAST tools, very strong on legacy + modern languages.

• Supports 33+ languages, 350+ frameworks, and over 1,500 vuln categories.

Languages

Extremely broad—.NET (Core and Framework), ABAP, C/C++, COBOL, classic ASP, Apex, Bicep, many others.

Secrets, SCA, IaC

• Secrets: OpenText SAST advertises detection of 200+ secret types in source code.
• SCA is usually handled via other OpenText or partner products.
• IaC & container scanning supported via extended ecosystem.

Integration & deployment

• Built for on-prem and regulated environments.
• Integrates with IDEs, CI/CD, and management platforms.
• Actively updated; 2025 releases add PHP 8.4, Python 3.13, ECMAScript 2024 and more.

Good fit if…

• You have legacy stacks (COBOL, ABAP, mainframe) plus modern code.
• You need air-gapped or heavily controlled environments.

4.4 Synopsys Coverity

What it is

Coverity is Synopsys’ flagship SAST, often paired with Black Duck for SCA.

Languages

• Supports C/C++, C#, Java, Kotlin, Scala, JavaScript, Objective-C, .NET, Visual Basic, and more, plus 70+ frameworks.

Secrets, SCA, IaC

• Focus is deep SAST; SCA via Black Duck (separate but often bundled).
• Some secrets/IaC functionality via ecosystem and Polaris (cloud platform).

Integration & deployment

• On-prem and cloud options, including Polaris SaaS.
• CI integration for compiled languages (build capture) and IDE plugins.
• Coverity Scan offers free scanning for eligible open-source projects.

Good fit if…

• You have a lot of C/C++/embedded or safety-critical code and want deep dataflow analysis.
• You’re okay pairing SAST with a separate SCA product.

4.5 HCL AppScan (AppScan Source / 360°)

What it is

AppScan is a long-standing suite with SAST, DAST, and other capabilities. Here we focus on static analysis (AppScan Source / 360°).

Languages

AppScan supports ~35+ languages/techs including Android, ABAP, Java/JS/TS, Python, Node.js, VB, C/C++, React, React Native, .NET, Vue.js, PL/SQL, Ruby, Objective-C, T-SQL, Apex, Xamarin, and more.

Secrets, SCA, IaC

• SAST is the primary function; static analysis scans code or binaries depending on language.
• Some secrets detection (e.g., PowerShell secrets scanning when enabled).
• SCA is not available in certain editions (e.g., AppScan 360° note).

Integration & deployment

• CLI, IDE integrations (Eclipse, Visual Studio), and CI plugins.
• Designed for self-hosted enterprise use.

Good fit if…

• You’re in an environment already using AppScan for DAST and want SAST from the same vendor.
• You need broad language support and on-prem deployment.

5. Focused OSS SAST tools (per-language helpers)

These don’t replace a platform but are great building blocks or extra checks.

5.1 Bandit (Python)

• What: open-source security linter / SAST for Python.
• Finds: common Python security issues: hard-coded passwords, injection, weak crypto, etc.
• Workflow: CLI tool; easy to plug into CI or pre-commit.

5.2 Brakeman (Ruby on Rails)

• What: static analysis security scanner for Ruby on Rails apps.
• Finds: Rails-specific vulns (mass assignment, unsafe params, XSS, SQLi in Rails patterns).
• Workflow: gem install brakeman and run brakeman in CI.

5.3 gosec (Go)

• What: SAST for Go; scans AST/SSA for security issues.
• Integration: GitHub Action, CloudBees plugin, easy CLI.

5.4 Others (by stack)

From the OWASP “Source Code Analysis Tools” list and ecosystem docs:

• Java: SpotBugs + FindSecBugs, PMD with security rules.
• JavaScript/TS: ESLint with security plugins, NodeJsScan.
• PHP: Psalm, PHPStan security rules.
• C/C++: clang-tidy security checks, cppcheck.

These are usually:

• Free
• CLI-friendly (easy to run in CI)
• Great supplements to a platform or for niche stacks.

6. Secrets & SCA tools people sometimes confuse with SAST

Short note:

• Secrets scanners:
  • Gitleaks, GitHub secret scanning, TruffleHog, Semgrep Secrets, Sonar secrets detection.
• SCA tools:
  • Snyk Open Source, Dependabot, Semgrep Supply Chain, Veracode SCA, Checkmarx SCA, Black Duck, Trivy.

They’re not SAST, but in 2025 most platforms bundle all three:

SAST + SCA + Secrets (and often IaC/container) in one UI.

When evaluating “SAST tools,” be clear whether you’re buying just static analysis, or a full AppSec platform.

7. Comparison snapshot (major platforms)

High-level, opinionated snapshot – check docs for exact details.

8. “If you’re this kind of team, where should you start?”

Opinionated but pragmatic:

Small team (3–20 devs), mostly JS/TS + Python/Go, on GitHub

• Start with GitHub Advanced Security for:
  • CodeQL SAST, secret scanning, dependency alerts.
• Layer Semgrep or Trivy if you want:
  • Extra SAST rules (Semgrep)
  • Stronger IaC/container/secrets scanning (Trivy).

Product org (20–200 devs) with polyglot microservices

• Look at Semgrep AppSec Platform, Snyk, or SonarQube + Trivy:
  • Semgrep or Snyk for SAST+SCA+secrets across many languages.
  • SonarQube for code quality + security, plus Trivy for infra.

Big enterprise (hundreds+ devs), Java/.NET + legacy (COBOL/ABAP)

• Check Checkmarx One, Veracode, Fortify, or Coverity:
  • Governance, portfolio management, and legacy stacks are their sweet spot.
• Expect:
  • Heavier rollout
  • More tuning
  • Stronger compliance stories

Single-stack teams (pure Python, Rails, or Go)

• Add Bandit, Brakeman, or gosec in CI:
  • Great signal/noise for that stack, and free.
• Combine with:
  • Trivy or Semgrep for secrets / SCA / IaC.

9. Rolling SAST out without drowning

No matter which tool you pick, the rollout pattern is similar:

1. Pilot on one repo

   • Run SAST in “informational mode.”
   • Focus first on new PRs, not the legacy backlog.

2. Wire into CI

   • Fast checks on PR (fail on obvious/high-severity).
   • Full scan nightly or on main branch.

3. Tune noise

   • Suppression mechanisms (inline comments, config).
   • Custom rules to encode your local patterns.

4. Add secrets & SCA

   • Enable secrets scanning and dependency checks where available.
   • Make sure token rotation and vuln patching processes exist.

5. Write a tiny runbook

   • “If the scanner finds X, we do Y.”
   • Who triages? Who fixes? What’s a SLA for “high”?

SAST in 2025 is less about “which engine is magically best” and more about:

• Picking something you can actually run
• Combining SAST + SCA + secrets + IaC in sane layers
• Making the findings part of your normal dev loop

Do that, and almost any of the tools above will give you real risk reduction instead of just another dashboard.