How to use the command 'fossa' (with examples)

Fossa is a command-line interface (CLI) tool that simplifies license auditing and vulnerability scanning for your projects’ dependencies. With Fossa, you can generate real-time reports to remain compliant and secure, handling legal and security aspects of software development. Users can define configurations, build projects, analyze dependencies, and ensure their current projects align with FOSSA’s standards. Here’s a closer look at some common use cases of the Fossa command and how it can be effectively utilized.

Use case 1: Initialize a .fossa.yml configuration file

Code:

fossa init

Motivation:

In software development, maintaining a clear and organized configuration is critical for ensuring that all dependencies and audits are handled consistently across environments. Initializing a .fossa.yml file with the fossa init command offers significant efficiency as it sets up a foundational configuration file necessary for FOSSA to perform accurate and efficient scans of your project.

Explanation:

The fossa init command does not take any arguments. It creates a default .fossa.yml configuration file in your project’s root directory. This file acts as a blueprint for FOSSA to understand how to build and analyze the project. It contains essential details such as build settings, dependency directories, exclusion rules, and other necessary configuration parameters to guide FOSSA in its operations.

Example output:

Initializing new FOSSA configuration at .fossa.yml
FOSSA configuration successfully created.

Use case 2: Run a default project build

Code:

fossa build

Motivation:

Running fossa build is an essential step after setting up your configuration. It automates the process of building your project according to the guidelines and parameters set in the .fossa.yml file. This helps in preparing the project dependencies and setup for further analysis, making sure FOSSA can properly identify and audit all necessary libraries and dependencies.

Explanation:

The fossa build command executes a default project build as defined in your .fossa.yml file. It doesn’t require additional arguments since it reads build configurations from the initialized file. FOSSA uses this build information to resolve and prepare dependencies so that it can detect licenses and discover vulnerabilities accurately in subsequent steps.

Example output:

Building project...
Successfully built project using FOSSA build system.

Use case 3: Analyze built dependencies

Code:

fossa analyze

Motivation:

Once your project has been built, the logical next step is to inspect and verify the dependencies used within it. The fossa analyze command serves this purpose by conducting a thorough audit of all third-party libraries and modules. This is pivotal in ensuring that all dependencies adhere to your project’s licensing requirements and security standards.

Explanation:

This command performs dependency analysis by scanning built project files. The analysis phase checks for licenses and vulnerabilities present in your project’s dependencies. Without any required arguments, fossa analyze automatically reads from the build output and configuration file, then applies sophisticated algorithms to classify and evaluate dependencies.

Example output:

Analyzing dependencies...
Analysis complete. Report: 5 licenses found, 2 potential vulnerabilities.

Use case 4: Generate reports

Code:

fossa report

Motivation:

Generating a comprehensive report of your project’s licenses and vulnerabilities is crucial for maintaining thorough documentation and easy reference. The fossa report command collates all the findings from your project’s analysis into an easily digestible format, making it simple to present and review compliance and security measures with stakeholders or during audits.

Explanation:

The fossa report command consolidates the data collected during the analysis process and outputs a comprehensive summary. Though it doesn’t require arguments in basic usage, it processes the findings related to dependencies’ licenses and security vulnerabilities, compiling them into a structured report for clear and quick understanding.

Example output:

Generating report...
Report generated. View full report at: /path/to/fossa-report.html

Use case 5: Test current revision against the FOSSA scan status

Code:

fossa test

Motivation:

Testing your current code revision against FOSSA’s scan status helps identify any newly introduced licensing or security issues before they become bigger problems. Using fossa test allows developers to enforce the continuous integration of licensing and security checks within their development workflow, ensuring that any problematic changes are caught early in the development cycle.

Explanation:

The fossa test command verifies the latest code changes by comparing them against previous scans conducted by FOSSA. If any new issues are found, the command will exit with errors. This ensures that developers maintain vigilance against potential licensing infringements or security threats. The process runs automatically without requiring additional arguments.

Example output:

Running FOSSA test on current revision...
Test failed: 1 new license issue found, 1 new vulnerability found.

Conclusion:

The Fossa CLI provides powerful tools for proactive software maintenance. Through simple yet comprehensive commands, developers can ensure that their projects remain compliant with licensing obligations and secure from vulnerabilities. By establishing a straightforward workflow with these use cases, development teams can focus more on innovation while staying confident in their project’s legal and security standing.