Aderyn is a free, open-source static analyzer for Solidity smart contracts, written in Rust. It is built for developers, auditors and security-minded teams who want to scan contract code for common vulnerabilities before deployment.
The project is licensed under GPL-3.0, and its code was last updated on May 3, 2026. Windows users need the Windows Subsystem for Linux installed before running it, so the tool suits people who are comfortable working in a terminal. The sections below cover setup, features, practical use and how Aderyn compares with other Solidity tools.
What Is Static Analysis for Smart Contracts?
Static analysis means examining source code without running it. A static analyzer reads the contract, builds a picture of how functions, variables and external calls connect, and flags patterns that match known weaknesses. For Solidity, that can catch problems such as unsafe external calls or incorrect access control logic before the code reaches a test network.
Aderyn belongs to this group. It reads Solidity files and reports places where the code matches one of its detectors. Because the analysis happens on the source, you do not need to deploy the contract or prepare complex test inputs to get first results. That makes static checks a practical first pass during development.
Static analysis also has limits. It can flag code that is actually safe, and it can miss issues that only appear when contracts interact with each other or with changing on-chain state. Treat analyzer output as a list of questions to answer, not as a final verdict on a contract.
Who Is Aderyn For?
Aderyn fits several kinds of readers. Solidity developers can run it while writing code to catch mistakes early. Security reviewers can use it as a quick first pass before deeper manual work. Teams preparing for an audit can use the reports to clean up obvious issues, so external reviewers spend their time on harder questions.
Here is a typical scenario. A developer finishes a token contract with several helper functions. Before committing, they open a WSL terminal, run Aderyn on the project folder and export a Markdown report. Two findings turn out to be false positives, which they note in code comments. One finding points to a real missing check, which they fix before rerunning the analysis.
Students and newer auditors benefit as well. The detector list shows which weakness categories the project considers important, so the tool doubles as a practical way to learn what to look for in Solidity code.
Why Small Contract Mistakes Carry High Stakes
Smart contracts often hold value and run without a central operator who can pause them. That makes mistakes harder to undo. A bug in a regular web application can usually be patched quickly, but a deployed contract may require migration steps or may remain locked into its logic. Catching problems before deployment is far cheaper than responding afterward.
Developers often combine several tools, since each method catches different things. Static analyzers like Aderyn scan the whole codebase quickly for known patterns. Fuzzers and symbolic testing tools probe behavior with many inputs. Using both approaches gives a more complete picture than any single tool can provide.
The habit that helps most is small, repeated checks. Running an analyzer after each meaningful change keeps the feedback loop short, and saving reports with the project shows how the code evolved over time.
Key features
Multiple report formats
VS Code extension
Published detector list
Contributor-friendly project
Steady community adoption
Supported coins
Aderyn targets Solidity, the language used for many EVM-compatible blockchains. It does not manage coins, tokens or wallets. Its work is reading contract source code and reporting patterns that match the vulnerability detectors listed in the project documentation.
How to install Aderyn on Windows
- 1
Set up WSL
Windows users need the Windows Subsystem for Linux installed before Aderyn will run. Install WSL and a Linux distribution from Microsoft, then open that environment's terminal. All of the following steps happen inside that terminal.
- 2
Get the release
Download only from the official website or the project's GitHub Releases page, which is linked from the Cyfrin/aderyn repository. Pick the latest release rather than an older build, and avoid copies hosted on third-party sites.
- 3
Verify the file
Check the SHA-256 checksum or signature if the release publishes one, and compare it with the value shown on the release page. A mismatch means the file should not be used, so download it again from the official source.
-
Install and test
Extract or install the package inside your WSL environment, then confirm the program starts from the terminal. Run it against a small test project first to make sure it creates the report files you expect before using it on real contracts.
System requirements
- Windows with the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) installed
- A Linux distribution running inside WSL
How to use Aderyn
Aderyn runs against a Solidity project folder and writes its findings to a report. The basic flow is short, although the exact results depend on how your project is organized and which detectors flag issues.
- Open your WSL terminal and navigate to the root folder of your Solidity project.
- Run Aderyn from the terminal, pointing it at the project directory.
- Choose an output format: Markdown for reading, JSON for scripts, or SARIF for tools that accept it.
- Open the generated report and group the findings by detector to see which patterns appear most often.
- Check each finding against the code. Some results will be false positives, so confirm each one before changing anything.
- Fix the confirmed issues, rerun the analyzer, and keep the final report with your project's review notes.
Saving reports after each run creates a record you can compare over time. It also gives teammates a clear starting point when they review changes.
Pros & cons
- Free to use under the GPL-3.0 license
- Open source, so the detection logic can be read and reviewed
- Produces Markdown, JSON and SARIF reports
- Officially supported VS Code extension for in-editor results
- Recently updated, with the latest code change dated May 3, 2026
- Contributors can propose new detectors and fixes
- Windows users must install WSL first, which adds a setup step
- Static analysis finds patterns and cannot prove that a contract is secure
- Results can include false positives that need manual review
- Focused on Solidity, so it does not cover other languages
- Beginners may need time to read reports and sort real issues from noise
Is Aderyn safe?
Aderyn is a static analyzer that reads source code and writes reports. It does not manage wallets or funds, but you should still treat the download as a software installation. Get the program only from the official website or the GitHub Releases page, and verify the SHA-256 checksum or signature when the release provides one. Do not run copies from forum posts, mirror sites or unknown links.
No legitimate analysis tool needs your seed phrase or wallet keys. If a program or website asks for them, stop immediately. Antivirus software can occasionally flag developer utilities, so investigate the warning and confirm the file's integrity instead of disabling protection entirely. Finally, a clean report is not a guarantee that a contract is secure, so combine analysis with testing and independent review.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/Cyfrin/aderyn. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Aderyn is a static analyzer, so it examines Solidity source code for known vulnerability patterns without executing the contract. Slither is another static analyzer for Solidity, and the two are natural candidates for side-by-side comparison. Aderyn stands out for its Rust codebase, its Markdown, JSON and SARIF output options, and its VS Code extension.
Echidna and Medusa take a different approach. They are fuzzers that run contracts with many generated inputs to test whether defined properties hold. Halmos uses symbolic testing to reason about contract behavior. Many teams use a static analyzer alongside one of these tools, because each catches different kinds of problems.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- GPL-3.0
- Latest version
- aderyn-v0.6.8
- Last update
- 3 May 2026
- Windows support
- Likely (builds for Windows; check releases)
- Source code
- github.com/Cyfrin/aderyn
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Aderyn is free. It is open source under the GPL-3.0 license, which means you can read the code, use it and modify it under the license terms. If you distribute a modified version, GPL-3.0 requires you to share its source code under the same license. Downloading and running the analyzer costs nothing.
Yes, with one requirement. Windows users must have the Windows Subsystem for Linux installed before running Aderyn. Once WSL and a Linux distribution are set up, you run the analyzer from the terminal. Plan for this setup step before you start, especially if you have not used WSL before.
Aderyn is a static analyzer that reads code and produces reports, so it does not handle wallets or funds. The main risk comes from where you download it. Get the program from the official website or GitHub Releases, check the SHA-256 checksum or signature when available, and treat its output as a review aid rather than a guarantee of security.
Aderyn creates reports in Markdown, JSON and SARIF. Markdown is easy to read and share in documentation or pull requests. JSON is useful for scripts and custom dashboards. SARIF is a standard format that many code analysis tools can import, which helps when you want results to fit into a shared review workflow.
Yes. The project provides an officially supported VS Code extension that displays analyzer results in the editor. It has been downloaded more than 1,800 times. Using the extension lets you review issues next to the code you are writing, rather than opening a separate report file each time.
Aderyn is a static analyzer, so it examines source code for known vulnerability patterns without executing the contract. Echidna is a fuzzer that runs contracts with many generated inputs to find cases where your defined properties fail. Using both gives you broader coverage, since each method catches different kinds of problems.
No. Rust is the language the project is written in, but you do not need it to run the analyzer on your contracts. You only need to start the program from the terminal and read its reports. Knowing Rust helps if you want to contribute code, such as a new detector or a fix for a false positive.
Verdict
Aderyn suits Solidity developers and auditors who want a free, open-source static analyzer with flexible report formats. Its recent code update, official VS Code extension and published detector list make it practical for everyday review work. Windows users should be comfortable installing WSL first. Treat Aderyn as one step in a broader review process that includes testing and manual inspection, and check the latest version on the official website or GitHub before you install.