In Catholicism is salvation by grace alone or by following the ten commandments and confession?

I have many catholic friends, and lately I have been engaging them as to whether or not they believe that salvation is by grace alone. My one catholic friend, (who would label themselves as an "Ecumenical charismatic Catholic" ) agrees with me completely that salvation is by grace alone. On the other hand, another catholic friend says that salvation is by following the ten commandments, and when asked what happens when we mess up, they responded, "That's what confession is for." So my question is, is Catholicism really this broad, or is one of my catholic friends not really catholic? Also, what does Catholicism actually say? Salvation by grace alone, or by works?