Anchore Engine CLI

anchore-cli image add <image>

Add the image to Anchore Engine and query findings, the image analysis platform with policy and CVEs.

Run it when you want analysis with the Anchore platform: anchore-cli image add registers the image in the Anchore Engine (the analysis server) which scans it (CVEs, layers, content) and the Anchore policy evaluates it — the policy result (pass/fail) and findings. It is the image analysis platform with configurable policy (the Anchore base). In DevSecOps, Anchore is the registry/pipeline option with policy: the image analyzed on the server and the policy that blocks deployment.

Do not use it without the server: anchore-cli needs the Anchore Engine deployed (the infrastructure) — without the server, the command fails; and the platform is heavier than modern scanners. The Anchore base is updated: new CVEs require the update. And watch out: the Anchore policy is configured (gates and triggers) — the default policy may not fit the environment; it is triaged. For point-in-time pipeline scanning, use Trivy/Grype; Anchore is the platform with policy.