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sqlmap vs Nuclei: 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.

Nuclei: Template-based vulnerability scanner that runs YAML templates over HTTP, DNS, TCP, SSL and other protocols from a CLI.

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 Nuclei: metrics and documented facts, in the fixed row order used for security testing comparisons.
FactsqlmapNuclei
Stars38,492131,4311
Forks6,37213,8821
Contributors15712781
Last release2026-01-0112026-08-081
Last commit2026-09-2012026-09-221
Commits in 90 days37012041
LicenseGPL-2.0-or-later1MIT1
Primary languagePython1Go1
Statusactive1active1
Scan targetsWeb application parameters: GET, POST, cookie, User-Agent and Referer values source: Docs: FeaturesTarget URLs and hosts, from a single target or a list file source: README
Languages or files analysedDatabase back ends including MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, SQLite and others listed source: Docs: FeaturesTarget lists plus Burp, JSONL, YAML, OpenAPI, Swagger and raw HTTP input files source: README
Check or rule formatCommand-line options and switches; tamper scripts that transform payloads source: Docs: UsageYAML templates source: README
CI integrationJSON run report (--report-json) for feeding findings into CI pipelines source: Docs: UsageCI/CD pipeline use for vulnerability detection and regression testing source: README
Report formatsJSON run report (--report-json); dumped data as CSV, HTML, SQLite or JSONL source: Docs: UsageJSON, JSONL, Markdown, SARIF, PDF source: README
Install methodGit clone of the repository, or tarball and zipball downloads; runs on Python 2.7 and 3.x source: READMEgo install -v github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei/v3/cmd/nuclei@latest (Go 1.24.2 or later) 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

Nuclei

Fits projects that scan hosts and URLs for known vulnerabilities with templates; its README describes templates over TCP, DNS, HTTP, SSL, WHOIS and other protocols. 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.