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Comparison · Infra & APIs

Clair vs LibreSpeed

A side-by-side editorial comparison of Clair and LibreSpeed — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.

Clair vs LibreSpeed: at a glance

FeatureClairLibreSpeed
SectorInfra & APIsInfra & APIs
Velocity score2.52.5
Sparks · 30d00
Top themescontainer-security, vulnerability-scanning, sbom, red-hatspeed-test, self-hosted, measurement-accuracy, docker
Last editorial update8h ago11d ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is Clair?

Clair 4.10 RC can read SBOMs to match Java vulnerabilities.

Clair cut its first 4.10.0 release candidate on November 13, eleven months after 4.9.0. Its Java indexers can now read CycloneDX SBOM files and treat them as the source of truth, and Red Hat's VEX data now covers Maven advisories, so Java packages in Red Hat images can be matched. It also reduces memory use when many packages share a source package.

Read the full Clair trajectory →

What is LibreSpeed?

LibreSpeed 6.3 adds shareable result images and fixes Safari upload tests.

LibreSpeed made its rewritten design the default in 6.0.0, then turned to measurement in the 6.2.x line with a connection-stability test and an upload-inflation fix. 6.3.0 in September added a shared-result image matching the chosen design, SERVER_LIST_URL support in frontend Docker mode, and a fix that puts modern Safari on the standard upload path. 6.3.1 in October fixed mixed-content filtering in server selection and the mobile gauge.

Read the full LibreSpeed trajectory →

Clair vs LibreSpeed: editorial side-by-side

C
Clair
INFRA · APIS
2.5

Clair 4.10 RC can read SBOMs to match Java vulnerabilities.

◆ Current state

Clair cut its first 4.10.0 release candidate on November 13, eleven months after 4.9.0. Its Java indexers can now read CycloneDX SBOM files and treat them as the source of truth, and Red Hat's VEX data now covers Maven advisories, so Java packages in Red Hat images can be matched. It also reduces memory use when many packages share a source package.

◆ Where it's heading

Since 4.8 Clair has moved from Red Hat's older OVAL data to VEX, and each release follows Red Hat's security data more closely. 4.10 adds SBOMs as an input, so Clair can match what an image's own manifest declares, not only what it finds on disk.

◆ Prediction

More 4.10 release candidates and then a final are likely; the long gap between releases suggests that could take weeks.

L
LibreSpeed
INFRA · APIS
2.5

LibreSpeed 6.3 adds shareable result images and fixes Safari upload tests.

◆ Current state

LibreSpeed made its rewritten design the default in 6.0.0, then turned to measurement in the 6.2.x line with a connection-stability test and an upload-inflation fix. 6.3.0 in September added a shared-result image matching the chosen design, SERVER_LIST_URL support in frontend Docker mode, and a fix that puts modern Safari on the standard upload path. 6.3.1 in October fixed mixed-content filtering in server selection and the mobile gauge.

◆ Where it's heading

With the design migration done, releases focus on measurement accuracy and easier Docker deployment. Minor versions arrive every month or two.

◆ Prediction

Expect further accuracy and deployment fixes in 6.3.x; no larger feature is signalled.

Alternatives to Clair and LibreSpeed

Other Infra & APIs products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Clair or LibreSpeed.

See all Clair alternatives → · See all LibreSpeed alternatives →

Recent activity from Clair and LibreSpeed

Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.

  1. 13h agoClairClair 4.10 RC reads CycloneDX SBOMs for Java matching
  2. 23d agoLibreSpeedLibreSpeed 6.3.1
  3. 2mo agoLibreSpeedLibreSpeed 6.3.0: shareable result images, Safari upload fix
  4. 3mo agoLibreSpeedUpload speeds no longer inflated by failed requests
  5. 3mo agoLibreSpeedStandalone connection-stability test and installable PWA
  6. 7mo agoLibreSpeedReverts server-list.json default in the classic frontend
  7. 7mo agoLibreSpeedThe rewritten design becomes the default in 6.0.0
  8. 11mo agoClairClair 4.9 moves CVSS data to NVD's 2.0 feeds
  9. 2y agoClairClair 4.8 replaces Red Hat OVAL data with VEX
  10. 2y agoClairClair 4.7.4 changes the default layer download location
  11. 2y agoClairClair 4.7.3 requires TLS 1.2 or newer
  12. 3y agoClairClair 4.7.2 drops the retired CRDA source

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Clair and LibreSpeed?

They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Clair and LibreSpeed are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 2.5 vs 2.5, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.

Is Clair better than LibreSpeed?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Clair and LibreSpeed are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 2.5 vs 2.5, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Infra & APIs products to evaluate alongside.

What are the best alternatives to Clair?

Top Clair alternatives in Infra & APIs are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Clair alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/clair for the full list with editorial commentary on each.

What are the best alternatives to LibreSpeed?

Top LibreSpeed alternatives in Infra & APIs are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "LibreSpeed alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/librespeed for the full list with editorial commentary on each.