Semgrep vs SonarQube
Semgrep MCP and SonarQube MCP both bring static code analysis to an agent, but they emphasize different slices of code health. Semgrep is the fast, semantic, rule-based scanner: its official server lets an agent scan code for security vulnerabilities across 30+ languages, write and run custom rules, inspect a file's abstract syntax tree, run a supply-chain (dependency) scan, and pull findings from the Semgrep AppSec Platform. SonarQube is Sonar's broader code-quality and security platform; its official server connects to SonarQube Cloud, Server, and the local SonarQube for IDE analyzers, and lets an agent analyze a snippet or files directly, then search issues, security hotspots, and software-composition (dependency) risks across the organization, manage issue and hotspot status, and inspect coverage. The deciding question is whether you want Semgrep's rule-driven, security-and-AppSec focus with custom-rule authoring, or SonarQube's wider quality-plus-security platform with coverage and issue-state management. Here is a balanced look.
How they compare
| Dimension | Semgrep | SonarQube |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Security-first static analysis — find vulnerabilities fast with semantic, rule-based scanning, plus AppSec Platform findings. | Code quality and security together — issues, security hotspots, dependency risks, and test coverage as one platform view. |
| Custom rules | First-class — write and run custom Semgrep rules (semgrep_scan_with_custom_rule), inspect the rule schema, and read a file's AST. | Uses SonarQube's analyzers and rule sets across languages rather than ad-hoc custom-rule authoring through the server. |
| Coverage and quality metrics | Not a focus — Semgrep centers on vulnerability and supply-chain findings rather than test-coverage reporting. | Built in — search files by coverage, pull per-file coverage details, and run advanced quality analysis alongside security. |
| Issue lifecycle | Surfaces findings (semgrep_findings) for the agent to act on; the workflow is scan-and-report driven. | Manage state directly — change issue status and change security-hotspot status across projects in the organization. |
| Deployment surface | Runs Semgrep's engine locally to scan code and can pull cloud AppSec Platform findings. | Connects to SonarQube Cloud, SonarQube Server, and the local SonarQube for IDE analyzers from one server. |
Verdict
Choose by what you want to measure. Reach for Semgrep MCP when security is the priority and you value rule-driven scanning — finding vulnerabilities fast across many languages, writing and running custom rules, scanning the supply chain, and pulling AppSec Platform findings. Reach for SonarQube MCP when you want a broader code-quality-plus-security view — issues, security hotspots, dependency risks, and test coverage in one place, with the ability to change issue and hotspot status across the organization. In short: Semgrep for rule-driven, security-and-AppSec scanning with custom rules; SonarQube for quality, security, and coverage with issue-state management.
FAQ
- Can both find dependency (supply-chain) issues?
- Yes. Semgrep's server includes a supply-chain scan tool for dependency vulnerabilities, and SonarQube's server can search software-composition-analysis dependency risks across your projects. They differ in surrounding scope: Semgrep is security-rule-centric, SonarQube wraps dependency risk into a broader quality and coverage view.
- Which lets me write custom rules?
- Semgrep. Its server supports running scans with custom rules and exposes the rule schema and a file's abstract syntax tree, which is ideal for authoring and testing your own patterns. SonarQube relies on its built-in analyzers and rule sets rather than ad-hoc custom-rule authoring through the server.