Thuban vs Snyk
Different problems. Complementary solutions.
Snyk is the gold standard for dependency vulnerability scanning — it finds known CVEs in your npm packages, Docker images, and infrastructure. Thuban focuses on a completely different problem: the code quality issues that AI coding tools create inside your own source files. Phantom imports, hallucinated APIs, architecture drift, and invisible tech debt.
Two Tools, Zero Overlap
Snyk and Thuban solve fundamentally different problems in your pipeline.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Thuban | Snyk |
|---|---|---|
| AI hallucination detection | ✓ | ✗ |
| Phantom import detection | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dependency vulnerability scanning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Container image scanning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Code quality analysis | ✓ | Limited (Code) |
| Mother Code DNA | ✓ | ✗ |
| Architecture drift detection | ✓ | ✗ |
| Health score & grade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tech debt cost (£/month) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto-fix | ✓ | ✓ |
| Zero config | ✓ | Partial |
| Local-first | ✓ | CLI + Cloud |
| CI/CD integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Price | Free / £49/mo | Free / $98+/mo |
What Snyk Doesn't Cover
Snyk is excellent at what it does — but it was built for dependency security, not AI code quality:
AI Hallucinations
AI generates functions, imports, and API calls that don't exist. Snyk scans your dependency tree for known CVEs — it has no concept of hallucinated code in your source files.
Invented APIs
AI hallucinates method signatures that look correct but don't exist. Snyk verifies package versions against vulnerability databases — not whether your code calls real functions.
Architecture Drift
AI generates code that works in isolation but drifts from your patterns. Snyk doesn't analyse your code's architectural consistency — that's not its job.
Code Health Scoring
Snyk gives you a security score for your dependencies. Thuban gives you a health score for your actual code — with a grade (A-F) and a monthly cost in pounds.
Why Developers Choose Thuban
The Missing Layer
Snyk protects your supply chain. ESLint checks your syntax. But who checks the code AI actually wrote? Thuban is the missing layer — AI code quality analysis that no other tool provides.
AI-Era Detection
Thuban was purpose-built for the problems AI coding tools create: hallucinated imports, invented APIs, deprecated patterns from stale training data, and code that compiles but doesn't work.
Mother Code DNA
Thuban learns your codebase's unique patterns and flags when AI-generated code deviates from your architecture. No other tool — including Snyk — understands your specific codebase patterns.
Completely Local
Your code never leaves your machine. No cloud uploads, no third-party access. Snyk's CLI can run locally, but full features require their cloud platform. Thuban is local-first, always.
Zero Config
Run npx thuban scan . and get results in seconds. No account creation, no API keys, no project setup. Just answers.
Use Both
Thuban and Snyk are complementary. Run Snyk for dependency security. Run Thuban for AI code quality. Your CI pipeline should have both — they catch completely different problems.
Better Together
Snyk + Thuban = Complete Protection
Snyk secures your dependency supply chain against known vulnerabilities. Thuban secures your source code against AI-generated quality issues. They solve different problems with zero overlap. Use both in your CI pipeline for complete coverage — from dependencies to the code AI writes.
Add the Missing Layer
Snyk checks your dependencies. Thuban checks your code. No signup, no config, no credit card.