Spotbugs VS ZAP

PMD, Spotbugs, Nullaway: Java linting/static analysis (https://pmd.github.io, https://spotbugs.github.io, https://github.com/uber/NullAway)

While at it you could also point them to static code analyzers such as error_prone, spotbugs and pmd (use all 3 at once - they complement each other in detecting different issues).

First, it's better to use SpotBugs 4.4.1 and above, that includes a fix to make SARIF report compatible with Github code scanning API requirements.

If you don’t have checkmarx/Vera code money, have you looked at https://find-sec-bugs.github.io/? It can be used with a few things such as https://spotbugs.github.io/ and sonarQ

some good tools for general code analysis (Java): Sonarqube, PMD, SpotBugs

Static application security testing (SAST) is essential in tackling the source code vulnerabilities, late diagnosis of problems, and lack of root-cause analysis. This post describes how to carry out SAST in your Java application using SpotBugs.

SpotBugs

I use ZAP [1] with the OAST add-on for this at the moment. I admit the UX isn't perfect, but it serves my purpose.

If I also want control over the responses (e.g. return a 401 status code for every fifth request), I have a custom extender script [2] for that.

[1]: https://www.zaproxy.org/

Implement tools like Burp Suite or OWASP ZAP for in-depth security scanning of your APIs.

OWASP ZAP

Caido[1] a interception proxy written in Rust, is positioning itself as a "lightweight" alternative to Burp. It can't compete yet with Burp in terms of functionality, although it's certainly looking promising.

Perhaps one of few contenders to Burp in respect to features is ZAP[2].

[1] https://caido.io/

[2] https://www.zaproxy.org/

The use of capital punctuation implies a warning? an alert? Would this same response be warranted for Burp which is also a commercial, closed source product?

If this is an issue for some, then ZAP being open source[1] maybe favourable.

That said, Burp is the defacto tool for a reason - it's best in class. Every pentester I know, including myself, has a paid subscription. The fact that it's closed source hasn't been an issue.

[1] https://github.com/zaproxy/zaproxy

Briefly reviewed your product. Seems like OWASP ZAP is your competition: https://www.zaproxy.org/

It runs entirely in the browser so it uses the browser "native" frameworks.

Dynamic analysis involves testing your application while it's running. Tools like OWASP ZAP and Burp Suite can help identify vulnerabilities like SQL injection or Cross-Site Scripting by sending malicious requests to your application and analyzing the responses.

In addition to manual security reviews, you can also implement DevSecOps practices to automate security checks. For example, you can set up a CI/CD pipeline to run static code analysis tools like CodeQL and automatically run penetration tests using tools like OWASP ZAP.

OWASP ZAP (open source)

I would start by installing Burp Suite or OWASP Zap and seeing what the actual messages look like