Dockle vs Grype
Dockle
github.comGrype
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Dockle | Grype |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Container Security Software | 7.8 (#12) | 8.7 (#2) |
| Installation | Installation options include Homebrew, RHEL/CentOS, Debian/Ubuntu, Arch Linux, Windows binaries, version managers, source builds, and Docker. | Official binaries and source archives are provided for Linux, macOS and Windows, with installer-script, Docker and package-manager options. |
| License | The repository lists the project under the Apache-2.0 license. | The project is released under the Apache-2.0 License. |
| Output formats | It can display or save results in JSON and SARIF formats. | Configuration supports table, template, JSON and CycloneDX vulnerability-report outputs. |
| Purpose | Dockle is a container image linter for security that helps build best-practice Docker images. | Grype scans container images, filesystems, and SBOMs for known vulnerabilities. |
Plans
In their own words
Dockle
Dockle is a free, self-hosted container image linter focused on security and Docker best practices. It scans images for vulnerabilities and checks settings against CIS Docker Image Benchmarks, along with Docker- and Linux-specific issues such as empty passwords and duplicate user or group IDs. Results can be displayed or saved in JSON and SARIF formats. Users can set an exit level and ignore selected checkpoints through command options, environment variables, or a .dockleignore file. The project documents continuous-integration use and provides a GitHub Action, with examples for Travis CI, CircleCI, and GitLab CI. Dockle can access private images in Docker Hub, Amazon ECR, Google Container Registry, and self-hosted registries. It can also scan an image archive created with docker save by using the --input option. Installation routes include Homebrew, Linux distribution packages, Windows binaries, version managers, source builds, and Docker. Dockle runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows and is listed under the Apache-2.0 license.
Grype
Grype is a free, Apache-2.0-licensed scanner for known vulnerabilities in container images, filesystems, and software bills of materials (SBOMs). It can also scan directories, individual files, archives, and packages identified by PURL or CPE. Coverage includes major operating-system package ecosystems and language packages such as Ruby, Java, JavaScript, Python, .NET, Go, PHP, and Rust; supported image formats include Docker, OCI, and Singularity. Grype uses EPSS, KEV, and risk scoring to help prioritize findings. OpenVEX can filter results or add context. Reports can be emitted as a table, JSON, SARIF, or a custom Go template. The project supports SBOM generation and runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, or in a self-hosted setup. Installation options include a Docker image and community packages such as Homebrew, MacPorts, Winget, Scoop, and Snapcraft. Individual package scanning is described as useful for lightweight vulnerability checks and compliance scanning of specific dependencies. Security updates are applied only to the most recent release, and vulnerability-report support is described as best effort.