SafeDep vet review
A lightweight, free SCA CLI with broad scanning and policy controls for developer workflows.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
SafeDep vet is an open-source software composition analysis CLI for developers and security teams. It analyzes dependency manifests, source repositories, container images, and SBOMs for vulnerabilities, malicious packages, license issues, and software-supply-chain risks. The tool supports npm, PyPI, Maven, Go, Ruby, Rust, and PHP, along with Docker and OCI images and CycloneDX and SPDX SBOMs. It is designed for local or containerized use and can connect with SafeDep Cloud for centralized reporting and governance.
Pricing is straightforward for the standalone tool: vet is permanently free and open source. SafeDep Cloud has paid plans, adding a hosted path for centralized reporting and governance. The standalone CLI includes SBOM import, CycloneDX export, policy enforcement with CEL expressions, query mode for repeated analysis of saved scan data, and reporting in SARIF, JSON, CSV, HTML, Markdown, and GitLab formats. This makes the free offering more suitable for teams that want to run and integrate scans directly in their own workflows rather than begin with a hosted service.
Its ecosystem fit is a major strength. Pull request scanning works through GitHub Actions, while repository scanning supports GitHub and GitLab; GitLab CI, Docker, and SafeDep Cloud are also supported integrations. AI usage discovery, agent mode, and an MCP server extend the tool beyond conventional dependency checks. Developers who want a self-hosted, command-line SCA workflow with policy controls should consider SafeDep vet. Teams that require a macOS- or Linux-compatible tool with centralized cloud governance can pair it with SafeDep Cloud, while teams seeking a broader standalone platform experience should look elsewhere.
SafeDep vet pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free open-source CLI with dependency and malicious-package analysis
- Supports GitHub, GitLab, containers, SBOMs, and multiple report formats
- CEL policy enforcement supports license and software-quality governance
- Where it doesn't
- Standalone use is limited to macOS and Linux
- Centralized reporting and governance connect through SafeDep Cloud
- No graphical interface is described for the standalone CLI
SafeDep vet fact sheet, pricing and score →
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