# flake8 vs Ruff

**Leader by vioscaleAI score:** Ruff

| Attribute | flake8 | Ruff |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 64 (66% (medium)) | 72.5 (68% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 21 | 100 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 153,063 | 5,870 |
| adoption.github_stars | 3,828 | 49,914 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | 9,519,717 | 77,677,334 |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"flake8 is an open-source Python linter that combines multiple style-checking tools to verify code compliance with PEP 8 and detect errors. It uses a plugin architecture for extensibility and is commonly integrated into development workflows and CI/CD pipelines. It is indexed under Code Quality Tools.","source":"https://flake8.pycqa.org/","question":"What is flake8?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"flake8 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://flake8.pycqa.org/","question":"Is flake8 free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"flake8 supports a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://flake8.pycqa.org/","question":"What platforms does flake8 support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. flake8 can be deployed self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://flake8.pycqa.org/","question":"Can flake8 be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 3 integrations for flake8, including pycodestyle, pyflakes and mccabe. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://flake8.pycqa.org/","question":"What does flake8 integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. flake8 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://pypi.org/pypi/flake8/json","question":"Is flake8 open source?","confidence":0.9}]` | `[{"answer":"A fast Python linter built in Rust that consolidates multiple linting tools into a single interface. It supports over 500 rules, provides automated fixes for common issues, and runs significantly faster than traditional Python linters on even very large codebases. It is indexed under Code Quality Tools.","source":"https://astral.sh/ruff","question":"What is Ruff?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Ruff supports Windows, macOS, Linux and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://astral.sh/ruff","question":"What platforms does Ruff support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Ruff can be deployed self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://astral.sh/ruff","question":"Can Ruff be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 6 integrations for Ruff, including Flake8, isort, Autoflake, Pyflakes, pycodestyle and Pylint. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://astral.sh/ruff","question":"What does Ruff integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed GDPR for Ruff. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as Ruff not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://astral.sh/legal/privacy","question":"What security certifications does Ruff have?","confidence":0.7},{"answer":"Yes. Ruff 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/astral-sh/ruff","question":"Is Ruff open source?","confidence":0.95},{"answer":"Ruff is available worldwide. Its primary market is the United States. The vendor is headquartered in the United States.","source":"https://astral.sh/ruff","question":"Where is Ruff available?","confidence":0.75}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":true}` | `{"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | flake8 is an open-source Python linter that combines multiple style-checking tools to verify code compliance with PEP 8 and detect errors. It uses a plugin architecture for extensibility and is commonly integrated into development workflows and CI/CD pipelines. | A tool for analyzing and formatting Python code, designed to be fast and efficient through Rust implementation, with support across multiple platforms. |
| features.capabilities | `{"autofix":false,"metrics":true,"function":"linter","ci_gating":true,"deployment":"cli_local","open_source":"oss","config_model":"config_file","custom_rules":true,"impl_language":"Python","pricing_model":"free","language_scope":"single_language","editor_integration":true}` | `{"autofix":true,"function":"linter","deployment":"cli_local","incremental":true,"open_source":"oss","impl_language":"Rust","pricing_model":"free","language_scope":"single_language","editor_integration":true}` |
| integrations.count | 3 | 6 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"pycodestyle"},{"name":"pyflakes"},{"name":"mccabe"},{"name":"pre-commit","native":true,"category":"ci","direction":"inbound"}]` | `[{"name":"Flake8"},{"name":"isort"},{"name":"Autoflake"},{"name":"Pyflakes"},{"name":"pycodestyle"},{"name":"Pylint"},{"name":"Visual Studio Code","native":false,"category":"editor","direction":"outbound"}]` |
| language.primary | Python | Rust |
| license.spdx | MIT | MIT |
| market.availability | - | `{"hqCountry":"US","primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true}` | `{"cli":true,"mac":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"free","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://flake8.pycqa.org/","retrievedAt":"2026-09-10T16:03:57.147Z"}` | - |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | - |
| pricing.model | free | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | free | - |
| pricing.transparent | yes | - |
| release.cadence_days | - | 7 |
| release.history | - | `[{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.16.10","date":"2026-10-01T18:04:27Z","type":"stable","version":"0.16.10"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.16.9","date":"2026-09-24T20:38:52Z","type":"stable","version":"0.16.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.16.8","date":"2026-09-16T15:56:22Z","type":"stable","version":"0.16.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.16.7","date":"2026-09-10T18:05:06Z","type":"stable","version":"0.16.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.16.6","date":"2026-09-03T17:20:13Z","type":"stable","version":"0.16.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.16.5","date":"2026-08-27T16:37:58Z","type":"stable","version":"0.16.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.16.4","date":"2026-08-20T17:44:56Z","type":"stable","version":"0.16.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.16.3","date":"2026-08-13T15:18:05Z","type":"stable","version":"0.16.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.16.2","date":"2026-08-07T13:31:55Z","type":"stable","version":"0.16.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.16.1","date":"2026-07-30T19:37:52Z","type":"stable","version":"0.16.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.16.0","date":"2026-07-23T19:12:22Z","type":"stable","version":"0.16.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.15.22","date":"2026-07-16T15:15:10Z","type":"stable","version":"0.15.22"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.15.21","date":"2026-07-09T20:02:30Z","type":"stable","version":"0.15.21"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.15.20","date":"2026-06-25T17:21:46Z","type":"stable","version":"0.15.20"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.15.19","date":"2026-06-24T01:11:40Z","type":"stable","version":"0.15.19"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.15.18","date":"2026-06-18T18:26:34Z","type":"stable","version":"0.15.18"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.15.17","date":"2026-06-11T17:57:00Z","type":"stable","version":"0.15.17"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.15.16","date":"2026-06-04T16:34:11Z","type":"stable","version":"0.15.16"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.15.15","date":"2026-05-28T14:18:02Z","type":"stable","version":"0.15.15"},{"url":"https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/releases/tag/0.15.14","date":"2026-05-21T14:35:54Z","type":"stable","version":"0.15.14"}]` |
| security.gdpr | - | yes |
| security.scorecard | 5 | - |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=pypi&package_name=flake8&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=pypi&package_name=ruff&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (Code Quality Tools)

| Capability | flake8 | Ruff |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Function | Linter | Linter |
| Language scope | Single-language | Single-language |
| Implementation language | Python | Rust |
| **Capability** |  |  |
| Autofix | ✗ | ✓ |
| **Config** |  |  |
| Config model | 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 2026-10-16T19:01:06.893Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*