Snyk Code Review 2026: AI-Powered SAST, Free Tier

Name: Snyk Code
Availability: OnlineOnly

Snyk Code is a developer-first SAST tool that uses semantic analysis and machine learning to find vulnerabilities in source code. Part of the Snyk Developer Security Platform, it provides real-time security feedback directly in IDEs and integrates throughout the development lifecycle.

Snyk is recognized in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Application Security Testing.

What is Snyk Code?

Snyk Code combines traditional pattern matching with DeepCode AI, Snyk’s security-focused AI engine trained on millions of open-source projects. According to Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Application Security Testing, Snyk is recognized for its developer-centric approach. This hybrid approach enables the tool to understand code semantically rather than just syntactically.

The platform scans code in real time as developers write it, providing immediate feedback without requiring builds or compilation. When vulnerabilities are detected, Snyk Code provides AI-generated fix suggestions that show developers how to remediate issues.

Real-Time IDE Scanning

Integrates into VS Code, IntelliJ, PyCharm, Eclipse, and Visual Studio. Scans code as you type with inline highlights and explanations.

AI Fix Suggestions

DeepCode AI generates context-aware fix suggestions based on your specific code, not generic advice. Trained on millions of real-world code fixes.

Fast Scans

Most scans complete in seconds without requiring compilation. Works in pre-commit hooks, pull request checks, and CI/CD gates.

Snyk Code project dashboard showing vulnerability list with severity indicators and repository information

Key features

Semantic code analysis

Snyk Code builds a semantic understanding of your codebase through data flow analysis. The engine traces how data moves through your application, identifying vulnerabilities that span multiple files and functions. This catches complex issues like second-order SQL injection that simpler tools miss.

Snyk Code data flow analysis tracing user input through application logic to identify vulnerability paths

AI-powered remediation

When Snyk Code identifies a vulnerability, it provides context-aware fix suggestions. These consider your specific code context rather than offering generic advice. The suggestions are generated by machine learning models trained on real-world fixes.

Snyk Code AI fix suggestions showing recommended code changes for a detected vulnerability

Snyk platform integration

Snyk Code is one component of the Snyk Developer Security Platform. Snyk Open Source provides SCA, Snyk Container handles container image scanning, Snyk IaC covers infrastructure as code, and Snyk Cloud handles cloud security posture management. All products share a unified dashboard.

IDE and CI/CD integration

Install the Snyk extension in VS Code, IntelliJ, PyCharm, or Eclipse for real-time scanning. For CI/CD, use the Snyk CLI:

# Install Snyk CLI
npm install -g snyk

# Authenticate
snyk auth

# Run a code scan
snyk code test

# Output SARIF for GitHub code scanning
snyk code test --sarif-file-output=results.sarif

Getting started

Install the IDE extension — Search for “Snyk Security” in VS Code Extensions or JetBrains Plugin Marketplace. Authenticate with your Snyk account.

Run your first scan — Open a project in your IDE. Snyk Code scans automatically and displays findings inline with severity ratings and fix suggestions.

Add to CI/CD — Install the Snyk CLI with npm install -g snyk. Run snyk code test in your pipeline. Use --severity-threshold=high to fail builds only on high-severity findings.

Review in dashboard — View aggregated findings across all projects in the Snyk web dashboard. Track trends and manage policies centrally.

When to use Snyk Code

Snyk Code works well for developer-centric organizations that want security feedback integrated into their existing workflow rather than as a separate gate. The real-time IDE scanning and AI fix suggestions reduce friction compared to traditional SAST tools.

Teams already using Snyk Open Source or Snyk Container get unified visibility across application security from a single dashboard.

Best for

Development teams that want fast, IDE-integrated SAST with AI-powered fix suggestions, especially those already using other Snyk products.

For on-premises requirements, Snyk offers enterprise deployment options. Teams needing deep custom rule capabilities may prefer Semgrep. For broader code quality analysis beyond security, SonarQube covers both quality and security. See our comparisons: Snyk Code vs SonarQube and Snyk Code vs Checkmarx.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Snyk Code?

Snyk Code is a SAST tool that scans source code for security vulnerabilities in real time, including inside your IDE. It uses DeepCode AI, a machine learning engine trained on real-world fixes, to detect vulnerabilities and suggest how to fix them.

Is Snyk Code free?

Snyk Code has a free tier for individual developers with a limited number of scans per month. Paid plans for teams and enterprises remove limits and add features like reporting, custom rules, and priority support.

What languages does Snyk Code support?

Snyk Code supports JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Java, Go, C#, Ruby, PHP, Kotlin, Swift, Scala, C/C++, Apex, and more. It integrates with CI/CD pipelines through the Snyk CLI, GitHub Actions, and plugins for Jenkins and CircleCI.

How does Snyk Code compare to SonarQube and Semgrep?

Snyk Code focuses on developer experience with IDE integration and AI-assisted fix suggestions. SonarQube offers broader code quality analysis beyond security. Semgrep gives more control through custom rules and is open-source at its core, but lacks Snyk Code’s automated fix suggestions.