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sqlmap vs Gitleaks: open-source security testing tools compared

Metrics as of , from the GitHub or GitLab API of each repository. Refreshed monthly.

Summary

sqlmap: Command-line penetration testing tool that detects and exploits SQL injection flaws in database-backed applications.

Gitleaks: CLI that detects secrets such as passwords, API keys and tokens in git repositories, files and stdin.

Both are listed under Security testing. The table gives repository metrics from the GitHub API with their fetch date, then the documented facts used for every comparison in this category, each linked to the README or docs page it comes from. A cell reads "not documented" when the fact was not found in the project's documentation; that does not mean the feature is absent.

Side by side

sqlmap and Gitleaks: metrics and documented facts, in the fixed row order used for security testing comparisons.
FactsqlmapGitleaks
Stars38,492129,4281
Forks6,37212,2381
Contributors15712341
Last release2026-01-0112026-03-211
Last commit2026-09-2012026-07-221
Commits in 90 days370151
LicenseGPL-2.0-or-later1MIT1
Primary languagePython1Go1
Statusactive1active1
Scan targetsWeb application parameters: GET, POST, cookie, User-Agent and Referer values source: Docs: FeaturesSecrets such as passwords, API keys and tokens in git repositories, files and stdin source: README
Languages or files analysedDatabase back ends including MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, SQLite and others listed source: Docs: FeaturesGit commit patches (via git log -p), directories and files source: README
Check or rule formatCommand-line options and switches; tamper scripts that transform payloads source: Docs: UsageTOML config file with [[rules]] entries using Go regular expressions source: README
CI integrationJSON run report (--report-json) for feeding findings into CI pipelines source: Docs: UsageGitHub Action (Gitleaks-Action); pre-commit hook source: README
Report formatsJSON run report (--report-json); dumped data as CSV, HTML, SQLite or JSONL source: Docs: UsageJSON, CSV, JUnit, SARIF, custom template source: README
Install methodGit clone of the repository, or tarball and zipball downloads; runs on Python 2.7 and 3.x source: READMEHomebrew (brew install gitleaks); Docker images zricethezav/gitleaks and ghcr.io/gitleaks/gitleaks; Go source build; release binaries source: README

1 Fetched from the GitHub or GitLab API on . Hover a value for its own date.

When each fits

Written from each project's documented scope, not from preference. Neither tool is ranked.

sqlmap

Fits projects that test web applications for SQL injection flaws; its README describes automated detection and exploitation of SQL injection and takeover of database servers. source: README

Gitleaks

Fits projects that check git repositories and files for committed secrets; its README describes three scanning modes: git, dir and stdin. source: README

More on these tools

Sources

  1. GitHub REST API: repository, read
  2. GitHub REST API: repository, read
  3. GitHub REST API: contributors, read
  4. GitHub REST API: contributors, read
  5. GitHub REST API: latest release, read
  6. GitHub REST API: latest release, read
  7. GitHub REST API: commits, read
  8. GitHub REST API: commits, read
  9. Docs: Features, read
  10. README, read
  11. Docs: Usage, read
  12. README, read

Documented facts collected 2026-09-22. See the methodology for how metrics and facts are gathered.