Software Composition Analysis (SCA) is a process used in software development and cybersecurity to identify and manage the open-source components and third-party libraries used in a software application.
SCA tools scan the source code or binary code of an application to detect and inventory the open-source and third-party components it depends on. These components can include libraries, frameworks, modules, and other code snippets that developers integrate into their own software projects to add functionality or expedite development. The main purpose of SCA is to help developers and organizations understand and manage the risks associated with using open-source components. This includes identifying vulnerabilities, licensing issues, and outdated dependencies that may pose security, legal, or operational risks to the software application.