# Chainsaw vs Cloudsmith, JFrog, Nexus | Chainsaw > Artifact managers host your packages. Chainsaw decides what gets installed. Different layer, different problem. Keep your registry, add the policy layer. Source: https://chain305.com/vs-artifact-managers/ --- Artifact managers host. Chainsaw decides. # A mirror serves a malicious package as faithfully as a good one. Chainsaw refuses it at install. Cloudsmith, JFrog, Nexus, Verdaccio host packages and stop there. Chainsaw hosts your internal artifacts _and_ [enforces install-time policy](https://chain305.com/product/policy/) on every install routed through it. The request path ## Same URL. A decision on every install. A registry serves whatever is published. Chainsaw decides first, then serves. 1. 01 · Developer or CI `npm install` one registry URL swap per package manager 3. 02 · Chainsaw, on the install path - public registries, proxied - internal artifacts, same URL - your policy, on every request alongside your existing registry, or replacing it 5. Refused never enters the build Allowed served, and cached Feature matrix ## What each layer actually does Capability Artifact manager Cloudsmith · JFrog · Nexus · Verdaccio Chainsaw Install-time policy proxy Hosts internal artifacts Yes Yes Mirrors / caches public packages Hosted publish + pass-through cache on the same URL. Yes Yes Pass/fail policy decision on every install Via paid add-ons (Nexus Firewall, JFrog Curation); not in the base registry. Partial Yes Monitoring-first rollout Same add-ons; not in the base registry. Partial Yes Zero-migration deploy Adopt without moving artifacts into a new registry. No Yes Works with npm, PyPI, Maven, Docker Yes Yes Refuse the version the moment a CVE lands Org-wide, no upgrade PRs. Partial Yes On-prem / air-gapped Partial Yes Already running an artifact manager? ## Keep your registry. Put Chainsaw in front of the public-registry traffic. Migrate your internal artifacts later if you want: same URL, no separate publish workflow. [Add policy to your registry](https://chain305.com/chainsaw/signup) [See the rollout →](https://chain305.com/product/how-it-works/) --- ## Long form The full text behind this page, including detail the page itself leaves out. Artifact managers host. Chainsaw decides. ### A mirror serves a malicious package as faithfully as a good one. Chainsaw refuses it at install. Cloudsmith, JFrog, Nexus, Verdaccio host packages and stop there. Chainsaw hosts your internal artifacts _and_ [enforces install-time policy](https://chain305.com/product/policy/) on every [npm, PyPI, Maven, Docker, and CI install](https://chain305.com/integrations/) routed through it. CI, endpoint, and network enforcement keep an install from quietly routing around that policy. Run alongside your existing registry, or replace it. ##### Primary job Artifact manager Host, mirror, and distribute packages — internal artifacts and public-registry mirrors. Chainsaw Host your internal artifacts and evaluate policy on every install request to any registry, public or private. ##### Where it sits Artifact manager Developers pull from the manager's private registry URLs. Chainsaw Developers keep pulling from npm, PyPI, Maven, Docker — Chainsaw proxies those requests, and serves your internal artifacts on the same URL. ##### Rollout cost Artifact manager Change every package-manager config, migrate internal artifacts, maintain mirrors in perpetuity. Chainsaw One-line registry URL swap per package manager. Adopt incrementally — keep your existing registry, or replace it. ##### Response to a newly disclosed CVE Artifact manager Scanner flags the affected version in hosted artifacts; you file tickets and chase upgrades. Chainsaw Policy update refuses the affected version on the next install, org-wide, with no code changes. ##### Where security lives Artifact manager An add-on scanning tier on top of hosting. Chainsaw The product. Policy enforcement is the primary surface, not a bolt-on. ##### On-prem / air-gapped Artifact manager Typically available on enterprise-tier contracts with bespoke deployment work. Chainsaw Included on the Enterprise plan — same binary as the managed service. Feature matrix #### What each layer actually does Capability Artifact manager Cloudsmith · JFrog · Nexus · Verdaccio Chainsaw Install-time policy proxy Hosts internal artifacts Authenticated publish across npm, PyPI, Maven, Docker, Cargo, RubyGems, NuGet, Go, Swift, APT/Yum/DNF + 5 more. Yes Yes Mirrors / caches public packages Hosted publish + pass-through cache on the same URL — both on every plan. Yes Yes Install-time policy enforcement Refuse or allow a package before it enters a build. No Yes Monitoring-first rollout See what would be refused before you enforce. No Yes Zero-migration deploy Adopt without moving artifacts into a new registry. No Yes Works with npm, PyPI, Maven, Docker Yes Yes Refuse the version the moment a CVE lands Org-wide, no code changes, no upgrade PRs. Partial Yes Pass/fail policy decision on every install, not just hosting A registry serves whatever is published, good or bad. Chainsaw renders a pass/fail decision on each install, then CI, endpoint, and network enforcement keeps installs from routing around that decision. No Yes Runs alongside your existing registry Or replace it entirely — Chainsaw is a full registry, not just a checkpoint. — Yes On-prem / air-gapped Partial Yes Already running an artifact manager? #### Keep your registry. Put Chainsaw in front of the public-registry traffic. Chainsaw renders a pass/fail policy decision on every install routed through it — the install-path firewall in front of your registry. CI, endpoint, and network enforcement mean an install can't skip that decision. When you're ready, migrate your internal artifacts to Chainsaw too: same URL, no separate publish workflow. [Add policy to your registry](https://chain305.com/chainsaw/signup) [See the rollout →](https://chain305.com/product/how-it-works/)