head to head · open source
osv-scanner vs reconftw
osv-scanner has 11,437 GitHub stars, 845 forks, 113 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. reconftw has 8,338 stars, 1,263 forks, 5 open issues and last shipped 6 days ago. osv-scanner leads on adoption by 37% (11,437 vs 8,338 stars). osv-scanner is written in Go under Apache-2.0; reconftw is written in Shell under MIT. osv-scanner has attracted 7% as many forks as stars, reconftw 15%. osv-scanner was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| osv-scanner | reconftw | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 11K | ★ 8.3K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Written in | Go | Shell |
| Last push | 2026-11-06 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 845 | ⑂ 1.3K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick osv-scanner if
- You weight community size — 11K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick reconftw if
- You want the reconftw feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Shell
- You evaluated both and reconftw fits your workflow better
About osv-scanner
Use OSV Scanner to find existing vulnerabilities affecting your project's dependencies. OSV Scanner provides an officially supported frontend to the OSV database and CLI interface to OSV Scalibr that connects a project’s list of dependencies with the vulnerabilities that affect them. OSV Scanner supports a wide range of project types, package managers and features, including but not limited to: Languages: C/C++, Dart, Elixir, Go, Java, Javascript, PHP, Python, R, Ruby, Rust. Package Managers: npm, pip, yarn, maven, go modules, cargo, gem, composer, nuget and others. Operating Systems: Detects vulnerabilities in…
read the full osv-scanner overview →
About reconftw
reconFTW reconFTW is a powerful automated reconnaissance tool designed for security researchers and penetration testers. It streamlines the process of gathering intelligence on a target by performing subdomain enumeration, vulnerability scanning, OSINT and more. With a modular design, extensive configuration options, and support for distributed scanning via AX Framework, reconFTW is built to deliver comprehensive results efficiently. reconFTW leverages a wide range of techniques, including passive and active subdomain discovery, web vulnerability checks (e.g., XSS, SSRF, SQLi), OSINT, directory fuzzing, port…
read the full reconftw overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is osv-scanner or reconftw more popular?
osv-scanner has 11,437 GitHub stars and reconftw has 8,338. osv-scanner has the larger community by that measure.
Are osv-scanner and reconftw free?
Both are open source. osv-scanner is licensed under Apache-2.0 and reconftw under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between osv-scanner and reconftw?
osv-scanner is written in Go and reconftw in Shell. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, osv-scanner or reconftw?
Choose osv-scanner if you want the larger community (11,437 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose reconftw if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.