SPDX (Software Package Data Exchange) and CycloneDX are two widely-used formats for Software Bill of Materials (SBOMs), which provide detailed information about the components, dependencies, and licenses of software projects. SPDX is a standard developed by the Linux Foundation to facilitate license compliance, offering a comprehensive way to document the licenses of software components. It's highly focused on license identification and compliance, making it particularly valuable in legal contexts where understanding and managing license obligations is critical. CycloneDX, on the other hand, was originally developed for use in the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) and is more security-focused. It provides detailed information about software components, including metadata like vulnerabilities, making it ideal for use in environments where security is a primary concern.

When comparing the two, SPDX excels in scenarios where legal and compliance concerns are paramount due to its strong emphasis on license management and its wide adoption in open source projects. However, its focus on licensing can sometimes mean it lacks the depth in security-related information that CycloneDX offers. CycloneDX, by contrast, is better suited for environments where tracking vulnerabilities and ensuring security is a priority, thanks to its rich set of features for identifying and managing security risks. However, it might not provide as much detail on licensing as SPDX. The choice between SPDX and CycloneDX ultimately depends on the specific needs of the project: if compliance and licensing are critical, SPDX is likely the better choice, while CycloneDX is preferable for projects where security is the primary focus.

Flawnter dependency scan (SCA) generates both SPDX and CycloneDX files after the scan is completed. You can use the format of your choice for SBOM.