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cdxgen vs lynkctl: SBOM for embedded C/C++
cdxgen is a strong choice for most software stacks. Embedded C/C++ firmware is harder, because the dependencies usually are not in a package manifest at all.
cdxgen is a fast, widely used generator and the official CycloneDX tool. Across Node, Python, Java, Go, and containers, it does the job well.
Firmware is a different shape of problem. A typical embedded C/C++ build pulls from a Makefile or CMake or IAR project, vendor SDKs, copied-in libraries, and prebuilt static archives, and much of the dependency information lives in the build itself rather than in a manifest. lynkctl covers those mainstream manifest ecosystems too, so this comparison focuses on embedded C/C++, where the two tools differ most.
Other embedded SBOM tools
If you are weighing options for firmware SBOMs, these come up alongside cdxgen and lynkctl.
lynkctl
EMBEDDED + MANIFEST
Build-aware SBOMs for embedded C/C++ with Make, CMake, IAR, and TI CCS, plus 12 manifest ecosystems. CycloneDX and SPDX, runs air-gapped, with linker-map and vendored-source detection.
Syft
CONTAINERS + PACKAGES
Popular open-source generator from the Anchore team, strongest for containers and package ecosystems.
Trivy
SCANNING
Widely used open-source scanner and SBOM generator for containers and package-based projects.
RunSafe Security
FIRMWARE
SBOM and memory-safety protection aimed at C/C++ and embedded systems.
Manifest Cyber
SBOM MANAGEMENT
SBOM management and software supply-chain security platform.
Innomatica embtrace
OSS EMBEDDED
Open-source SBOM generator for embedded builds: CMake, Yocto, Buildroot, and Zephyr.
FAQs
More questions? Contact us now.
Does cdxgen support C/C++?
Yes. cdxgen supports C/C++ with -t c and Java 21, and it works best when it can inspect a real build. Results can be thinner for projects with copied-in dependencies, prebuilt static archives, or hand-written Makefiles that expose little dependency metadata.
Is lynkctl only for embedded C/C++?
No. lynkctl generates build-aware SBOMs for embedded C/C++, and it also covers 12 manifest ecosystems, including Node, Python, Java, Go, Rust, Ruby, PHP, and .NET. It emits both CycloneDX 1.6+ and SPDX 3+, and it runs fully offline.
Can I use cdxgen and lynkctl together?
Yes, and many teams do. Run cdxgen for general-purpose applications and lynkctl for embedded firmware. Both produce CycloneDX, so the results live in the same Interlynk inventory.
Is lynkctl open source?
lynkctl is Interlynk’s commercial generator. The lynkctl-public repository has the documentation, CI templates, and benchmark methodology, and Interlynk’s open-source toolkit adds tools such as sbomqs and sbomasm.
Which toolchains does lynkctl support?
GNU Make, CMake, IAR Embedded Workbench, and TI Code Composer Studio, plus STM32CubeMX .ioc metadata for target and package context. It supports STM32, Infineon, and NXP MCUs today, with more on the roadmap.