Apache RAT vs license-comply
Apache RAT
creadur.apache.orglicense-comply
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Apache RAT | license-comply |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Open Source License Compliance Software | 8.5 (#3) | 8.0 (#11) |
| Purpose | Apache RAT audits software distributions, with a focus on license headers. | Scans Python project dependencies for open-source licenses and analyzes compliance risks based on project type. |
| Security reporting | The Apache Security Team asks that potential vulnerabilities be reported first to a private Apache security mailing list. | The security policy asks users to report vulnerabilities through GitHub private vulnerability reporting and says not to open a public issue for them. |
| Support | The project invites users to contribute patches, report bugs, and talk to the community. | The project invites bug reports and feature requests through GitHub issues and welcomes pull requests. |
Plans
In their own words
Apache RAT
Apache RAT is a free, open-source release-audit tool for checking software distributions, with particular attention to license headers. Version 0.18 provides a command-line client, an Ant task library, and a Maven plugin. You can include or exclude files using patterns, collections, pattern files, and file-size limits; apply approved-license lists; and produce plain, XML, missing-header, or unapproved-license reports. The Maven plugin can write target/rat.txt or add a report to a generated site. RAT can add Apache-2.0 headers and copyright notices to files allowed by configuration. XML license definitions are supported, and experienced users can extend matchers, formats, reports, and interfaces. It runs on Linux and is intended for self-hosted, on-premise use. Building requires Java 17, with Maven 3.9.13 or later recommended. Reports need interpretation and project-specific tuning, and heuristics can miss issues.
license-comply
license-comply has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.