OpenGrep
github.com
What it is
OpenGrep is a free, open-source static analysis engine for finding security issues and searching patterns in source code. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, with self-hosted deployment. The project supports more than 30 languages, including Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, Rust, PHP, and Visual Basic, and existing Semgrep rules and rulesets work without changes. Its intrafile taint analysis tracks constructor and field assignments, flow between methods, higher-order functions across 12 languages, and collection operations such as map, filter, and reduce. OpenGrep produces JSON and SARIF output and documents a CI subcommand for workflow use. The project distributes self-contained binaries and says releases are signed with Cosign. OpenGrep is a Semgrep fork under the LGPL 2.1 license. The security policy requests vulnerability reports by email and lists only the latest version as supported.
Spec sheet
- What it does
- Opengrep is a static code analysis engine for finding security issues and searching code patterns.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Purpose
- OpenGrep is an open-source static code analysis engine for finding security issues and searching code patterns.Read 3 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Intended users
- The project invites developers and organizations to use and contribute to its open static analysis engine.Read 3 Oct 2026 · opengrep.dev
- Integrations
- The repository documents a CI subcommand, and its output formats include JSON and SARIF.Read 3 Oct 2026 · github.com
- License
- The repository identifies OpenGrep as a fork of Semgrep under the LGPL 2.1 license.Read 3 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Analysis features
- Its intrafile taint analysis supports constructor and field assignment tracking, inter-method taint flow, higher-order functions across 12 languages, and collection methods such as map, filter, and reduce.Read 3 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Build requirements
- Developer builds require OCaml 5.5.0, dune, opam, a C toolchain, PCRE and GMP libraries, make and git.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Changelog: 1.28.0
- The 26 August 2026 release improved install scripts, fixed Windows output handling, updated constant propagation and added PHP fixes.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Changelog: 1.29.0
- The 28 August 2026 release migrated remaining PCRE1 uses to PCRE2 and fixed Kotlin scope-function taint desugaring.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Company size
- LinkedIn lists Opengrep as a nonprofit software-development organization with company size of one employee.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
- Consortium
- The project says Aikido Security, Amplify, Endor Labs, Kodem, Orca Security and other application-security organizations support it.Read 15 Oct 2026 · opengrep.dev
- Developer API
- The docs.rs package documents a Rust Config and SearchEngine API with parallel searches, JSON serialization and optional AI analysis.Read 15 Oct 2026 · docs.rs
- Directory API listing
- VentureGaps lists a REST API and nine integrations, including GitHub, GitLab CI/CD, CircleCI, Jira, Bitbucket, Jenkins, Slack and GitHub Actions.Read 15 Oct 2026 · venturegaps.com
- Distribution
- Releases are self-contained OCaml binaries for multiple architectures, so Python is not required.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Documentation
- The repository links a wiki with tutorials and language guides, including intrafile tainting, higher-order functions, C#, PHP and Visual Basic.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Free availability
- The project says consortium members build the engine for free use and intend to keep it free and open-source.Read 15 Oct 2026 · opengrep.dev
- Governance
- The project says contributions are reviewed on merit and is backed by an application-security consortium that includes Aikido Security, Amplify, Endor Labs, Kodem, and Orca Security.Read 3 Oct 2026 · opengrep.dev
- Independent context
- Latio Pulse describes Opengrep as a forever-open-source alternative sponsored by more than ten security vendors and says Semgrep's SaaS management features were lacking in the author's experience.Read 15 Oct 2026 · pulse.latio.tech
- Independent criticism
- Crash Override argues that the consortium had made few significant contributions to Semgrep and characterizes the fork as self-serving.Read 15 Oct 2026 · crashoverride.com
- Installation
- The official installer supports Linux and macOS through install.sh and Windows through PowerShell install.ps1.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Integration: Aptori
- Aptori runs OpenGrep through its aptori/scanners container and publishes results to the Aptori Platform.Read 15 Oct 2026 · docs.aptori.dev
- Integration: Deckhouse
- Deckhouse Code runs opengrep_sast_scan and opengrep_sast_junit jobs, publishes JSON and JUnit results, and can forward findings to DefectDojo.Read 15 Oct 2026 · deckhouse.io
- Integration: Docker
- A community Docker Hub image documents scans through Docker, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI and Docker Compose with JSON or SARIF output.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hub.docker.com
- Intrafile taint
- The engine adds intrafile cross-function taint analysis with higher-order-function support.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Language coverage
- The README lists more than 30 languages, including Apex, Bash, C, C++, C#, Go, Java, JavaScript, PHP, Python, Ruby, Rust, Swift, Terraform, TypeScript, Visual Basic, XML and YAML.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Language support
- The project says it supports 30+ languages, including Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, Rust, PHP, and Visual Basic.Read 3 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Licence
- The repository identifies the software as licensed under LGPL-2.1.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Limit: rule breadth
- VentureGaps says the rule library is less extensive than established commercial SAST tools.Read 15 Oct 2026 · venturegaps.com
- Limit: semantic depth
- VentureGaps cautions that pattern-matching focus may miss complex semantic vulnerabilities.Read 15 Oct 2026 · venturegaps.com
- Notable limit
- The security policy lists only the latest version as supported.Read 3 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Origin
- Opengrep is a fork of Semgrep version 1.100.0.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Output formats
- The tool supports JSON and SARIF outputs and can include metavariable values, fingerprints and enclosing match context.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Praise: extensibility
- VentureGaps praises community-driven custom rule creation and describes the tool as highly extensible.Read 15 Oct 2026 · venturegaps.com
- Praise: privacy
- VentureGaps describes local analysis with no code sent to servers as a strength.Read 15 Oct 2026 · venturegaps.com
- Project activity
- The GitHub repository page shows about 3.2k stars, 276 forks and more than 10,500 commits.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Rating on VentureGaps
- 6.0 out of 10 from 0 field reports.Read 15 Oct 2026 · venturegaps.com
- Release signing
- Release binaries are signed with Cosign.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Rule compatibility
- Existing Semgrep rules and rulesets are intended to work unchanged.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Security policy
- Only the latest version is marked supported and vulnerability reports are requested by email at [email protected].Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Security reports
- The security policy asks users to report vulnerabilities by email and says the latest version is supported.Read 3 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Supported systems
- The README provides installation instructions for Linux, macOS, and Windows.Read 3 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Taint tracking
- Taint analysis tracks constructor and field assignments, inter-method flows, and collection methods such as map, filter and reduce.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Third-party CI project
- A GitLab project created February 9, 2026 is dedicated to unpublished Opengrep custom rules and CI/CD.Read 15 Oct 2026 · gitlab.com
- Windows support
- Native Windows support was added after the fork.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Plans and prices
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- Supports more than 30 programming languages
- Existing Semgrep rules work unchanged
- Runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows
- Offers JSON and SARIF output
- Self-contained binaries are distributed
Limits
- Only the latest version is supported
- Deployment is self-hosted
Who it suits
OpenGrep suits developers and organizations looking for a self-hosted source-code analysis tool. It may be useful for teams already using Semgrep rules or integrating analysis through CI workflows.
Verdict
OpenGrep pairs broad language support with compatibility for existing Semgrep rules and CI-oriented output. Users should account for its self-hosted deployment and latest-version-only support policy.
Where Specifiction places it
- Network Protocol Analyzers#5 of 308.6
- Static Application Security Testing Software#5 of 258.5