Open source SAST alternatives often work best when matched to one language. Bandit scans Python, gosec scans Go, Brakeman scans Ruby on Rails, and Find Security Bugs adds security checks to SpotBugs for Java. Each is free, runs in CI, and focuses on its own ecosystem.
Safeguard publishes this guide and sells a competing product, so we describe other tools only from their own documentation. Facts below are as of 19 October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Bandit builds an AST for each Python file and runs plugins against it.
- gosec scans the Go AST and SSA code and includes taint analysis rules.
- Brakeman statically analyzes Rails application code, with no configuration required to start.
- Find Security Bugs lists 144 bug patterns for Java web applications.
- Language specific tools go deep on one stack. A polyglot team needs several of them or a multi language tool.
What is a good open source SAST tool for each language?
Pick the tool built for your language first. Each one below states its scope in its own docs.
Python: Bandit. Bandit is a tool for finding common security issues in Python code. Its docs say it processes each file, builds an AST from it, runs appropriate plugins against the AST nodes, and generates a report. It is licensed under Apache License 2.0.
Go: gosec. The README says gosec inspects source code for security problems by scanning the Go AST and SSA code representation. Rules are grouped by prefix, including general, injection, file and path, crypto and TLS, and taint analysis. Output formats include text, json, yaml, csv, junit-xml, html, sonarqube, golint and sarif. It is licensed under Apache License 2.0.
Ruby on Rails: Brakeman. Brakeman is described as a free vulnerability scanner for Rails applications that statically analyzes code at any stage of development. It looks for issues such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting and command injection. You install the gem and run brakeman in your Rails app directory.
Java: Find Security Bugs. It is the SpotBugs plugin for security audits of Java web applications. The site lists 144 bug patterns, support for frameworks including Spring MVC, Struts and Tapestry, and integrations with Eclipse, IntelliJ, NetBeans, Ant, Maven, Jenkins and SonarQube. It is licensed under LGPL.
Comparison table
| Criteria | Bandit | gosec | Brakeman | Find Security Bugs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Python | Go | Ruby on Rails | Java |
| Method | AST plus plugins | Go AST and SSA, taint rules | Static analysis of Rails code | SpotBugs detectors |
| CI support | Report generation | GitHub Action, SARIF output | Gem run in app directory | Maven, Ant, Jenkins |
| License | Apache 2.0 | Apache 2.0 | Not stated on page we read | LGPL |
| Limit | Python only | Go only | Rails only | Java only |
What are the limits of language specific SAST tools?
Each tool covers one language or framework, so a mixed codebase needs several tools and several result formats. That is a real cost, and the docs do not claim otherwise.
Things to plan for:
- Different report formats. gosec can emit SARIF, which helps you merge results in one place.
- Different suppression syntax in each tool. gosec supports inline nosec comments, for example.
- No shared view of findings unless you build one.
- Rules need ongoing review as your code changes.
How to choose
- List the languages in your repositories, by share of code.
- Pick the matching tool for each major language.
- Check each tool's output formats against your CI and review process.
- Run each on one repository and review a sample of findings by hand.
- Decide whether a multi language tool would simplify the setup.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bandit only for Python?
Yes. Its docs describe it as a tool for finding common security issues in Python code.
Does gosec support SARIF?
Yes. Its README lists sarif among its output formats and shows uploading SARIF to code scanning.
Does Brakeman need to run my app?
Its site describes static analysis of application code, so it works from source rather than a running app.
Is Find Security Bugs only for Java?
The page we read describes it as a plugin for security audits of Java web applications and does not confirm other languages.
Sources
- Bandit documentation: https://bandit.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
- gosec repository: https://github.com/securego/gosec
- Brakeman: https://brakemanscanner.org/
- Find Security Bugs: https://find-sec-bugs.github.io/
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
