Bill of Materials
A Bill of Materials (BOM) is a structured list of components, parts, and materials required to manufacture or assemble a product, often used in engineering, manufacturing, and software development. In software, it specifically refers to a formal inventory of all dependencies, libraries, and modules used in a project, including their versions and licensing information. This helps track and manage the software supply chain, ensuring transparency, security, and compliance.
Developers should learn and use BOMs to enhance software security by identifying vulnerabilities in dependencies, streamline dependency management across large projects or microservices, and ensure legal compliance with open-source licenses. It is crucial in DevOps and CI/CD pipelines for automated scanning and in industries with strict regulatory requirements, such as finance or healthcare, to mitigate risks from third-party components.