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c7n-left

Free#10 of 22 in Infrastructure as Code Security Software

c7n-left: A focused Terraform policy checker for teams that want Cloud Custodian controls in pull requests. Ranked #10 of 22 in Infrastructure as Code Security Software by our editors (8.4/10); pricing: Free plan; best for open-source Terraform policy enforcement.

8.4/10Editor score
Visit c7n-left
c7n-left8.4 Visit c7n-left

At a glance

  • Editor score
    8.4 / 10
  • Pricing
    Free plan
  • Best for
    Open-source Terraform policy enforcement
  • Free plan
    Yes
  • Paid from
    Free
  • Custom policies
    Yes
  • Facts checked
    20 Sep 2026
c7n-left screenshot

  • Where it wins

    • Evaluates Cloud Custodian policies against Terraform source assets
    • Traverses related resources and supports Terraform data resources
    • Adds GitHub pull-request annotations with policy findings

  • Where it doesn't

    • Its verified scope is narrower than multi-framework alternatives
    • Windows use is recommended through Docker
    • Requires familiarity with Cloud Custodian policies and Terraform

Our verdict on c7n-left

c7n-left is an open-source command-line tool from Cloud Custodian for evaluating Cloud Custodian policies against infrastructure-as-code source assets. It is aimed at developers and platform or security teams that want to identify policy issues in Terraform before deployment. The tool runs on macOS and Linux, supports Docker distribution, and is intended for Windows use through Docker. Its focus is clear: Terraform analysis with policy-driven checks rather than broad coverage across many infrastructure-as-code frameworks.

For Terraform workflows, c7n-left provides several useful inspection controls. Teams can filter policies and resources by name, category, severity, type, and ID, then inspect relationships through resource-graph traversal. Support for Terraform data resources extends checks beyond standard managed resources. Policy testing with Terraform fixtures and assertions also gives maintainers a way to validate custom policies as they evolve. These capabilities suit teams that already work with Cloud Custodian and want checks to reflect their own infrastructure rules.

Workflow integration is centered on developer tooling. c7n-left offers JSON, CLI, and GitHub output formats, with GitHub output designed for pull-request annotations. GitHub Actions, Docker, and Terraform are listed integrations, while Docker image distribution provides an option for consistent execution in automation. The main trade-off is scope: its verified focus is Terraform and Cloud Custodian, so teams seeking a broader multi-framework IaC security platform should consider alternatives. Choose c7n-left for open-source Terraform policy enforcement and customizable checks; look elsewhere if wide framework coverage is the priority.

Your product? Our editors can test c7n-left in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

c7n-left pricing

Plans Free planFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.
See plans on cloudcustodian.io

c7n-left fact sheet

Free planYes
Paid fromFree
Terraform analysisYes
Kubernetes analysisNot verified
CloudFormation analysisNot verified
Custom policiesYes
Secrets detectionNot verified
Pull request scanningYes
IDE integrationNot verified
DeploymentSelf-hosted, Desktop
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux
SupportDocs
Built forSmall business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate)
Integrations3 integrations: GitHub Actions, Docker, Terraform
PricingFree plan
Websitecloudcustodian.io
Facts checked20 Sep 2026

c7n-left integrations

c7n-left lists 3 integrations on its own site.

  • GitHub Actions
  • Docker
  • Terraform

Alternatives to c7n-left

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Featured on iTechGuides

Featured on iTechGuides — c7n-left 8.4/10

c7n-left is listed in our Infrastructure as Code Security Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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