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Comparison · Infra & APIs

Apache ShenYu vs Clair

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

Apache ShenYu vs Clair: at a glance

FeatureApache ShenYuClair
SectorInfra & APIsInfra & APIs
Velocity score5.02.5
Sparks · 30d00
Top themesapi-gateway, ai-proxy, mcp, release-candidatescontainer-security, vulnerability-scanning, sbom, red-hat
Last editorial update9d ago8h ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is Apache ShenYu?

ShenYu is cutting 2.7.2 release candidates, but the tags still carry no notes.

Apache ShenYu has published four 2.7.2 release-candidate tags since 28 October, the latest two on 3 and 4 November, each with a one-line description and no change list. The substantive record still comes from earlier releases: 2.7.1 in July with MCP server URL and test fixes, and the 2.7.0.x patches that added and repaired AI proxy, token limiter, request transformer and MCP server plugins.

Read the full Apache ShenYu trajectory →

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 →

Apache ShenYu vs Clair: editorial side-by-side

A
Apache ShenYu
INFRA · APIS
5.0

ShenYu is cutting 2.7.2 release candidates, but the tags still carry no notes.

◆ Current state

Apache ShenYu has published four 2.7.2 release-candidate tags since 28 October, the latest two on 3 and 4 November, each with a one-line description and no change list. The substantive record still comes from earlier releases: 2.7.1 in July with MCP server URL and test fixes, and the 2.7.0.x patches that added and repaired AI proxy, token limiter, request transformer and MCP server plugins.

◆ Where it's heading

Four candidates in a week point to a 2.7.2 release vote in progress. Given the plugin history, the final release is likely to carry more AI-gateway and MCP plugin fixes, but none of the candidate tags say so.

◆ Prediction

A final 2.7.2 tag is the next likely entry; its contents can't be predicted from these candidate tags alone.

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.

Alternatives to Apache ShenYu and Clair

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 Apache ShenYu or Clair.

See all Apache ShenYu alternatives → · See all Clair alternatives →

Recent activity from Apache ShenYu and Clair

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

  1. 13h agoClairClair 4.10 RC reads CycloneDX SBOMs for Java matching
  2. 9d agoApache ShenYu2.7.2 release candidate 4 (no notes)
  3. 10d agoApache ShenYu2.7.2 release candidate 3 (no notes)
  4. 16d agoApache ShenYu2.7.2 release-candidate tag (no notes)
  5. 16d agoApache ShenYuEarlier 2.7.2 candidate tag (no notes)
  6. 11mo agoClairClair 4.9 moves CVSS data to NVD's 2.0 feeds
  7. 11mo agoApache ShenYuMCP server plugin fixes and Nacos sync cache corrections
  8. 1y agoApache ShenYuAI request transformer plugin joins the proxy and token limiter
  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 Apache ShenYu and Clair?

They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Apache ShenYu is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 2.5), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.

Is Apache ShenYu better than Clair?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Apache ShenYu is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 2.5), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Infra & APIs products to evaluate alongside.

What are the best alternatives to Apache ShenYu?

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

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.