Notation vs Signo
Notation
notaryproject.devSigno
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Notation | Signo |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 0 |
| Spec score · Code Signing Software | 7.8 (#11) | 6.9 (#25) |
| Integrations | The project README links to signing workflows using Azure Key Vault and AWS Signer. | The README names YubiKey as a hardware-token example and points to a separate signo-client NPM package for API use. |
| License | The Notation project is covered under the Apache 2.0 license. | The repository identifies the project as GPL-3.0 licensed. |
| Purpose | Notation is a command-line tool for signing and verifying artifacts in OCI registries. | Signo is an open source, self-hosted signing service that signs files through an HTTP API. |
Plans
In their own words
Notation
Notation is a command-line tool for signing and verifying container images and other artifacts in OCI registries, including software bills of materials. It implements the Notary Project specifications, which are intended to help secure software supply chains. Its signatures can move between OCI registries and be validated in connected, intermittently connected, or disconnected environments without additional server infrastructure. The specifications define signature envelopes using COSE or JWS. Notation can integrate with existing key management systems through a plugin model, with instructions for Azure Key Vault and AWS Signer. Developers and CI/CD pipelines can create signatures and store them alongside signed artifacts. The project provides a quick start for signing and validating a container image. Notation runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows and is free under the Apache 2.0 license. Cloud signing, trusted timestamping, and CI/CD signing are listed capabilities; a certificate is not provided. The specifications repository lists a 2023 security audit, and the project overview describes continuous fuzz testing across three repositories.