# Checkstyle vs ESLint

**Leader by vioscaleAI score:** ESLint

| Attribute | Checkstyle | ESLint |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 60.1 (49% (low)) | 76 (78% (high)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 100 | 44 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 1,425 | 1,569,244 |
| adoption.github_stars | 9,599 | 27,559 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | - | 158,743,826 |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"A development tool that automatically scans Java code to verify adherence to coding standards, detecting style violations, design problems, and formatting issues. Supports customizable rule sets and integrates with build tools and IDEs. It is indexed under Code Quality Tools.","source":"https://checkstyle.org/","question":"What is Checkstyle?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Checkstyle supports a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://checkstyle.org/","question":"What platforms does Checkstyle support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Checkstyle can be deployed self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://checkstyle.org/","question":"Can Checkstyle be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Checkstyle is published under the LGPL-2.1 licence, a copyleft licence, so check its terms before embedding it in a closed-source product. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle","question":"Is Checkstyle open source?","confidence":0.95}]` | `[{"answer":"An open-source linter and fixer for JavaScript and JSX that runs locally in editors and CI pipelines. It uses AST analysis to catch problems and can automatically fix many issues, with full support for custom rules and extensibility. It is indexed under Code Quality Tools.","source":"https://eslint.org","question":"What is ESLint?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"ESLint is open source, so it can be self-hosted and used at no licence cost. It is released under the MIT licence. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://eslint.org","question":"Is ESLint free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"ESLint supports a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://eslint.org","question":"What platforms does ESLint support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. ESLint can be deployed self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://eslint.org","question":"Can ESLint be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. ESLint is published under the MIT licence, a permissive licence that generally allows commercial use and modification. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint","question":"Is ESLint open source?","confidence":0.99}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":true}` | `{"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | Checkstyle analyzes Java source code against configurable rules covering naming, imports, formatting, Javadoc, and class design. It enables teams to maintain consistent coding standards through CLI, IDE plugins, and CI/CD integrations. | Open-source linter that uses abstract syntax tree analysis to detect JavaScript code issues and apply syntax-aware fixes, with extensive customization through custom rules and parsers. |
| features.capabilities | `{"autofix":false,"metrics":true,"function":"static_analyzer","ci_gating":true,"deployment":"cli_local","open_source":"oss","config_model":"config_file","custom_rules":true,"impl_language":"Java","pricing_model":"free","language_scope":"single_language","editor_integration":true}` | `{"autofix":true,"function":"linter_formatter","ci_gating":true,"deployment":"cli_local","open_source":"oss","config_model":"config_file","custom_rules":true,"impl_language":"JavaScript","pricing_model":"free","language_scope":"single_language","editor_integration":true}` |
| integrations.count | 7 | 2 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Maven"},{"name":"Ant"},{"name":"Eclipse","native":true,"category":"ide"},{"name":"IntelliJ IDEA","native":true,"category":"ide"},{"name":"Neovim","native":true,"category":"editor"},{"name":"Code Climate","native":true,"category":"code_quality"},{"name":"GitHub Actions","native":true,"category":"ci"},{"name":"Apache Ant","native":true,"category":"build_tool"}]` | `[{"name":"eslint-plugin-react"},{"name":"eslint-plugin-unicorn"}]` |
| language.primary | Java | JavaScript |
| license.spdx | LGPL-2.1 | MIT |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true}` | `{"cli":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","sourceUrl":"https://checkstyle.org/","retrievedAt":"2026-10-14T22:30:54.455Z"}` | `{"type":"open_source","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Open Source","features":["Find issues in JavaScript code","Automatically fix problems","Custom parsers","Custom rules","Text editor integration","CI pipeline integration"],"description":"Free open source linter","contactSales":false}],"summary":"Free open source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://eslint.org","retrievedAt":"2026-08-05T14:08:29.561Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | open_source |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | yes | - |
| release.cadence_days | 13 | 13 |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-14.3.0","date":"2026-09-27T15:22:48Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-14.3.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-14.2.0","date":"2026-09-27T14:43:29Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-14.2.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-14.1.0","date":"2026-08-30T14:47:48Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-14.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-14.0.0","date":"2026-08-18T13:09:20Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-14.0.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-13.11.0","date":"2026-08-16T21:52:20Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-13.11.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-13.10.0","date":"2026-08-09T17:48:41Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-13.10.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-13.9.0","date":"2026-07-27T01:04:59Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-13.9.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-13.8.0","date":"2026-07-12T02:55:15Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-13.8.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-13.7.0","date":"2026-06-28T15:13:54Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-13.7.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-13.6.0","date":"2026-06-15T03:24:52Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-13.6.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-13.5.0","date":"2026-05-30T20:22:13Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-13.5.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-13.4.2","date":"2026-05-02T04:07:51Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-13.4.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-13.4.1","date":"2026-04-27T12:43:10Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-13.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-13.4.0","date":"2026-03-29T17:41:44Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-13.4.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-13.3.0","date":"2026-02-28T17:36:40Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-13.3.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-13.2.0","date":"2026-02-05T20:28:40Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-13.2.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-13.1.0","date":"2026-01-31T17:26:20Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-13.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-13.0.0","date":"2026-01-04T23:48:39Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-13.0.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-12.3.1","date":"2025-12-31T15:42:54Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-12.3.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/tag/checkstyle-12.3.0","date":"2025-12-13T15:50:49Z","type":"stable","version":"checkstyle-12.3.0"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.12.0","date":"2026-10-02T20:07:11Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.12.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.11.0","date":"2026-09-18T20:13:06Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.11.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.10.0","date":"2026-09-04T14:30:17Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.10.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.9.1","date":"2026-08-24T18:18:59Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.9.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.9.0","date":"2026-08-21T13:05:50Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.9.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.8.1","date":"2026-08-07T20:16:24Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.8.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.8.0","date":"2026-07-24T20:15:28Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.8.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.7.0","date":"2026-07-10T21:22:56Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.7.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v9.39.5","date":"2026-07-10T20:41:58Z","type":"stable","version":"v9.39.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.6.0","date":"2026-06-26T20:09:26Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.6.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.5.0","date":"2026-06-12T17:54:47Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.5.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.4.1","date":"2026-05-29T20:32:39Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.4.0","date":"2026-05-15T14:11:22Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.4.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.3.0","date":"2026-05-01T15:39:48Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.3.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.2.1","date":"2026-04-17T20:17:51Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.2.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.2.0","date":"2026-04-03T20:36:28Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.2.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.1.0","date":"2026-03-20T15:31:47Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.0.3","date":"2026-03-06T22:53:26Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.0.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v9.39.4","date":"2026-03-06T21:46:54Z","type":"stable","version":"v9.39.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/eslint/eslint/releases/tag/v10.0.2","date":"2026-02-23T21:43:46Z","type":"stable","version":"v10.0.2"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | yes | - |
| security.scorecard | 7 | 6.6 |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":2,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=maven&package_name=com.puppycrawl.tools%3Acheckstyle&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":"MODERATE"}` | `{"count":2,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=eslint&per_page=100","last_12m":1,"max_severity":"MODERATE"}` |

## Capabilities (Code Quality Tools)

| Capability | Checkstyle | ESLint |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Function | Static analyzer | Linter + formatter |
| Language scope | Single-language | Single-language |
| Implementation language | Java | JavaScript |
| **Capability** |  |  |
| Autofix | ✗ | ✓ |
| **Config** |  |  |
| Config model | Config file | Config file |
| **Extensibility** |  |  |
| Custom rules | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Deployment | CLI-local | CLI-local |
| **Delivery** |  |  |
| Editor integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| CI / VCS gating | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Insight** |  |  |
| Code metrics | ✓ | - |
| **Performance** |  |  |
| Incremental / monorepo aware | - | - |
| **Licensing** |  |  |
| Open-source | OSS | OSS |
| **Commercial** |  |  |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-18T10:18:23.728Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*