Local SAST vs cloud SAST
A practical breakdown of when local-first scanning is enough and when deeper hosted analysis belongs in the pipeline.
radar scan . --quickUse the right gate
Local scanners shorten feedback loops. Hosted platforms can complement them with long-running analysis and dashboards.
Guide
Evidence to inspect
Use “Local SAST vs cloud SAST” as the scope for this decision: verify the input, finding detail, workflow handoff, and product boundary before you install or buy.
CriterionEvidence to inspectBoundary
Input scopeSelected files, configuration, scan mode, and enabled rules.Only included paths and configured checks are evaluated.
Finding detailFile, line, rule ID, severity, explanation, and repair direction.Illustrative output is not a result from your repository.
Workflow handoffLocal result, report format, agent context, and optional CI signal.Enable exports or CI only when the workflow needs them.
Decision fitUse the same criteria on a real repository before choosing a plan or tool.No universal winner or guaranteed outcome is claimed.
Official source
Primary sources
Validate the workflow on your own code.
Apply this page’s evidence to one real repository. For “Local SAST vs cloud SAST”, confirm which finding is produced, whether the proposed next step is reproducible, and where local scanning, reports, agents, or CI should stop or expand.