Steampipe
Steampipe is an open source engine that queries cloud APIs and SaaS services with SQL via plugins. It builds live inventories and compliance checks without maintaining custom scrapers. We assess it next to CloudGraph for multi-cloud visibility and ad hoc CSPM-style questions.
Blurb
Steampipe is the zero-ETL way to query APIs with SQL.
Summary
What it is: Postgres interface over steampipe plugins (AWS, Azure, GCP, GitHub, etc.) plus mod benchmarks.
When to use: Engineers want SQL over cloud inventory; quick compliance mods before buying a CSPM suite.
When to skip: Need persistent graph API and packaged posture product (CloudGraph, Kubescape). No SQL-friendly operators.
Key features: steampipe query, mods pack, dashboard snapshots, CI-friendly JSON output.
Details
| Topic | Notes |
|---|---|
| Contrast | CloudGraph for GraphQL posture graph; Steampipe for SQL-first exploration |
| Ops | Runs locally or in CI; not a long-lived multi-tenant SaaS |
References