SonarQube (by SonarSource) and Fortify (by OpenText, formerly MicroFocus) are two of the most widely used tools for code analysis and application security. Both help teams write better software, but they serve different purposes. In this article, we’ll look at: 

• The key features and strengths of SonarQube
• The security testing capabilities of Fortify
• A side-by-side comparison of both tools
• Practical benefits, drawbacks, and when to use each

SonarQube

Sonarqube is a platform used for continuous code inspection and static code analysis. You can use it early in your software development cycle to identify and address code issues. It helps you improve your code quality and reduce build failure rates. 

SonarQube has a lower barrier for fast use because it has a user-friendly interface, community support, and easy setup. 

SonarQube Features

Let’s take a deep dive into the features of SonarQube:

• Code coverage and Testing:  It integrates with many popular testing frameworks and tools that help identify what part of your code hasn’t been tested. It helps with an extensive range by highlighting areas that need test cases. 

• Code Quality Analysis: SonarQube analyzes code according to predefined standards and alerts you when your code doesn’t meet these standards or doesn’t meet some of the rules. It checks for code quality, like code smells, bugs, and vulnerabilities.

• Complex Analysis Of Code: SonarQube analyses your code and lets you know the part of your code that might be hard to maintain or understand. This insight can make your complex code more readable and easily understood. 

• CI/CD Integration and Reporting: SonarQube integrates with different Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) tools, and you can easily add them to your development pipeline. It provides you with centralized reporting that allows you to make data-driven decisions that can improve your software development process.

SonarQube Benefits

There are several strengths you enjoy when you use SonarQube, and they are:

• Great support for many programming languages
• Interactive community support
• A detailed set of rules for code quality and detection
• It is user-friendly and easy to use
• You can integrate with popular CI/CD tools

SonarQube Limitations

Despite the benefits you might enjoy when you use SonarQube in your development process, there are certain limitations you should be aware of. They are:

• There is limited support for particular programming languages
• It lacks advanced code security features
• False positives in security vulnerabilities

Fortify

Fortify helps you identify and remedy security vulnerabilities in your software development process. You get a comprehensive approach during your development process with software composition analysis (SCA), dynamic application security testing (DAST), and static application security testing (SAST) it integrates. 

Using these features, you can detect vulnerabilities early on and fix them before deploying your application. It supports programming languages from Apex, Java, and others.

Fortify Features 

Let’s dive into the features of Microfocus Fortify:

• Advanced Security Testing: Suppose you use Fortify for your software development process. In that case, you enjoy advanced code security testing that would help your overall efforts because it enables you to understand the issues or potential threats better and can help you address these critical bottlenecks. Using Fortify means picking up problems you might miss using other tools. 

• Static Code Analysis: Fortify analyses for code structure and logic, which helps identify coding flaws in your source code. Fortify checks your code against predefined rules and notifies you of an issue, allowing you to fix your code before deploying. In addition, Fortify lets you set your own rules and policies based on your software development requirements. 

• Integration with Build Sytems: Fortify integrates with other build systems and CI/CD pipelines. It allows you to implement security testing as an essential part of your software development process by allowing you to incorporate security testing into existing workflows. 

Fortify Benefits

There are several benefits of Fortify, and they are:

• It allows customizable rules and standards for static code analysis
• It has comprehensive security code testing capabilities
• It uses advanced vulnerability testing techniques and methods
• Easy integration with development environments and CI/CD tools

Fortify Limitations

Here are several limitations you have when  using Fortify: 

• It takes a lot of work to set up and a steep learning curve.
• Compared to SonarQube, it needs more language support. 
• It is expensive for enterprise-level usage. 

Comparison: Fortify vs SonarQube

There are some differences when you use both tools for your software development process. However, you must know their weakness and strengths to help you make an ideal and better decision. 

• SonarQube beats Fortify because it has the best-suited features regarding quality code analysis. When you use SonarQube for software development builds, you can get comments from code coverage measurement, a predefined rules-based analysis, complexity analysis, and code duplication detection. 

• Fortify beats SonarQube regarding security vulnerabilities because it is more suited for this purpose. Fortify offers you in-depth reporting, customizable rules, and data flow analysis. It is specifically designed to deal with security issues in your code. 

• In terms of integration with CI/CD tools and development workflows, SonarQube and Fortify offer a seamless workaround for developers. They provide detailed reporting for coding and security vulnerabilities to aid your development process. 

• Regarding operating costs, SonarQube is less expensive than Fortify for enterprise purposes. 

Conclusion

Your choice of software for your development process should depend on your project needs, requirements, and available capital for operation. In the article, we looked at the features of both, their benefits, and the limitations you would face when you use them. Furthermore, by comparing both, you can reach a conclusion for which to use when appropriate, assuming it meets your needs.

FAQs

What Is the Best Alternative to SonarQube?

Some popular alternatives to SonarQube include Fortify, CodeQL, Checkmarx, and Veracode. These tools specialize in static application security testing (SAST) and code quality checks, often providing deeper security coverage than SonarQube.

What Does OpenText Fortify Do?

OpenText Fortify provides an end-to-end application security platform. It scans code for vulnerabilities, integrates with CI/CD pipelines, and offers dashboards for compliance and risk management, making it a strong choice for enterprise security.

Can SonarQube Detect Security Vulnerabilities?

Yes, SonarQube can detect some security vulnerabilities, code smells, and bugs. However, it is more focused on code quality and maintainability rather than deep security testing, which is where tools like Fortify are stronger.

Is Fortify DAST or SAST?

Fortify is primarily a SAST tool through its Static Code Analyzer, which scans code without executing it. However, Fortify also provides WebInspect, a DAST tool that tests running applications for vulnerabilities.