Comparison

PMD vs pre-commit

On the evidence we track, pre-commit leads this comparison with a composite score of 66/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.

PMD full profile →pre-commit full profile →

Machine formatsMarkdownJSONGraphQLMarkdown is open. JSON and GraphQL need a free key.

PMD56

★pre-commit66

Attribute comparison across 2 tools
Attribute	PMD	pre-commitLeader
vioscaleAI score	56 / 100low · 49%	66 / 100medium · 70%
Pricing
Free tierpricing.free_tier	✓	✓
Modelpricing.model	open_source	commercial
Price levelpricing.price_level	free	free
Transparentpricing.transparent	✓	✓
Integrations
Countintegrations.count	4	-
Security
Scorecardsecurity.scorecard	6.2	4.7
Vulnerabilitiessecurity.vulnerabilities	Count: 0 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=maven&package_name=net.sourceforge.pmd%3Apmd-java&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0	Count: 0 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=pypi&package_name=pre-commit&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0
Reliability
Status pagereliability.status_page	-	✓
Adoption
Dependent reposadoption.dependent_repos	356	35,684
Github starsadoption.github_stars	5,508	15,626
Package downloads weeklyadoption.package_downloads_weekly	-	33,971,661
Activity
Commits last 30dactivity.commits_last_30d	64	16
Release
Cadence daysrelease.cadence_days	28	57
Historyrelease.history	20 items	20 items
License
Spdxlicense.spdx	-	MIT
Language
Primarylanguage.primary	Java	Python
Market
Availabilitymarket.availability	Available worldwide	-
Content
Faqcontent.faq	4 items	5 items

Score

vioscaleAI score

PMD56 / 100low · 49%

pre-commit66 / 100medium · 70%

Pricing

Free tier

PMD✓

pre-commit✓

Model

PMDopen_source

pre-commitcommercial

Price level

PMDfree

pre-commitfree

Transparent

PMD✓

pre-commit✓

Integrations

Count

PMD4

pre-commit–

Security

Scorecard

PMD6.2

pre-commit4.7

Vulnerabilities

PMDCount: 0 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=maven&package_name=net.sourceforge.pmd%3Apmd-java&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0

pre-commitCount: 0 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=pypi&package_name=pre-commit&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0

Reliability

Status page

PMD–

pre-commit✓

Adoption

Dependent repos

PMD356

pre-commit35,684

Github stars

PMD5,508

pre-commit15,626

Package downloads weekly

PMD–

pre-commit33,971,661

Activity

Commits last 30d

PMD64

pre-commit16

Release

Cadence days

PMD28

pre-commit57

History

PMD20 items

pre-commit20 items

License

Spdx

PMD–

pre-commitMIT

Language

Primary

PMDJava

pre-commitPython

Market

Availability

PMDAvailable worldwide

pre-commit–

Content

Faq

PMD4 items

pre-commit5 items

Capabilities

Feature-by-feature on the axes that matter for code quality tools. “-” means undocumented, not absent.

Capability comparison for Code Quality Tools
Capability	PMD	pre-commit
Core
Function	Static analyzer	Meta-runner
Language scope	Multi-language	Multi-language
Implementation language	Java	Python
Capability
Autofix	-	✗
Config
Config model	Rule packs	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

Core

Function

PMDStatic analyzer

pre-commitMeta-runner

Language scope

PMDMulti-language

pre-commitMulti-language

Implementation language

PMDJava

pre-commitPython

Capability

Autofix

PMD-

pre-commit✗

Config

Config model

PMDRule packs

pre-commitConfig file

Extensibility

Custom rules

PMD✓

pre-commit✓

Deployment

PMDCLI-local

pre-commitCLI-local

Delivery

Editor integration

PMD✓

pre-commit✗

CI / VCS gating

PMD✓

pre-commit✓

Insight

Code metrics

PMD✓

pre-commit✗

Performance

Incremental / monorepo aware

PMD-

pre-commit✗

Licensing

Open-source

PMDOSS

pre-commitOSS

Commercial

Pricing model

PMDFree

pre-commitFree

What each one is

The product in its own terms, so the numbers below have context.

PMD

PMD is a static analysis tool that scans source code to detect bugs, code smells, and quality issues across many programming languages. It includes copy-paste detection capabilities and supports custom rule creation.

Independently observed

pre-commit

Leader

Manages Git pre-commit hooks written in various languages, automatically running code checks to detect issues like missing semicolons, trailing whitespace, and debug statements before code review.

Independently observed

Pricing

List pricing as published by each vendor, with the date we read it. Always verify at the source before you buy.

PMD

Open sourceFree tier

as of 2026-09-14verify ↗

pre-commit

Leader

Free

as of 2026-08-14verify ↗

Platform & deployment

Where each product runs and how it can be hosted. A dash means undocumented, not unsupported.

Platform and deployment support comparison
Supports	PMD	pre-commit
macOSPlatforms	✗	✓
WindowsPlatforms	✗	✓
LinuxPlatforms	✗	✓
CLIPlatforms	✓	✓
Self-hostedDeployment	✓	✓

Platforms

macOS

PMD✗

pre-commit✓

Windows

PMD✗

pre-commit✓

Linux

PMD✗

pre-commit✓

CLI

PMD✓

pre-commit✓

Deployment

Self-hosted

PMD✓

pre-commit✓

Integrations

What each product connects to. Counts come from the vendor's own integration directory where one exists.

PMD

11 total

Eclipse
Gradle PMD Plugin
eclipse-pmd
pmd-eclipse-plugin
PMD X
PMD
Apex PMD
PMD for Java
Gradle
IntelliJ
VS Code

Independently observed

pre-commit

Leader

Not documented yet.

Still deciding?

PMD or pre-commit: which one depends on you

A composite score cannot know your constraints. Describe them and both get re-weighted against what you actually need, with the evidence behind every position.

Free to run, no account needed to start. How the evaluation works

Comparison generated from independently-sourced facts. Every value links to its source and retrieval date. See the method.