Semgrep vs Snyk
Semgrep MCP and Snyk MCP are both official security servers that let an agent scan code where it is written, but they come at application security from different angles. Semgrep is a static-analysis engine for your own code: its server scans for security vulnerabilities, runs custom rules, and can pull findings from the Semgrep AppSec Platform — and local scans need no token at all. Snyk is a broader software-composition and security suite built into the Snyk CLI: its server scans open-source dependencies, your code, containers, and infrastructure-as-code for known vulnerabilities. Here is a balanced look at how they differ on what they scan, how they authenticate, and which fits your security workflow.
How they compare
| Dimension | Semgrep | Snyk |
|---|---|---|
| What it scans | Your source code via static analysis (SAST), with custom-rule support for patterns you define. | Open-source dependencies, your code, containers, and infrastructure-as-code — broader coverage across the stack. |
| Authentication | Local scans need no token; a Semgrep AppSec Platform token is optional, required only for platform findings and identity tools. | An optional Snyk token enables non-interactive auth; otherwise it can trigger a browser login or reuse an existing Snyk CLI session. |
| Deployment | Launched over stdio as a Docker container (the Semgrep image), running semgrep in MCP mode. | Launched over stdio via the Snyk CLI with npx, running its built-in mcp command. |
| Best-fit task | Catching code-level vulnerabilities and enforcing custom rules during development, no account required to start. | Auditing dependencies, code, containers, and IaC together for known vulnerabilities across a project. |
Verdict
Both bring application security into the editor, but their coverage differs. Choose Semgrep MCP when the priority is deep static analysis of your own source and the ability to write custom rules — and you value that local scans run with no token, lowering the barrier to start. Choose Snyk MCP when you need breadth: scanning open-source dependencies, code, containers, and infrastructure-as-code together for known vulnerabilities. Reach for Semgrep for code-pattern SAST and custom rules; reach for Snyk for end-to-end composition and configuration scanning. Some teams run both, using Semgrep for code patterns and Snyk for dependency and container exposure.
FAQ
- Do I need an account to start scanning?
- Semgrep's local scans need no token at all; a platform token is optional. Snyk works with an optional token, or it can trigger a browser login or reuse your existing Snyk CLI session.
- Which covers dependencies and containers?
- Snyk does — it scans open-source dependencies, containers, and infrastructure-as-code in addition to code. Semgrep focuses on static analysis of your source with custom rules.