Comparison

PMD vs RuboCop

On the evidence we track, RuboCop leads this comparison with a composite score of 64/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.

PMD full profile →RuboCop full profile →

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PMD56

★RuboCop64

Attribute comparison across 2 tools
Attribute	PMD	RuboCopLeader
vioscaleAI score	56 / 100low · 49%	64 / 100medium · 50%
Pricing
Free tierpricing.free_tier	✓	✓
Modelpricing.model	open_source	open_source
Price levelpricing.price_level	free	free
Transparentpricing.transparent	✓	✓
Integrations
Countintegrations.count	4	14
Security
Scorecardsecurity.scorecard	6.2	5.1
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: 1 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=rubygems&package_name=rubocop&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0 · Max severity: LOW
Adoption
Dependent reposadoption.dependent_repos	356	115,529
Github starsadoption.github_stars	5,508	12,913
Activity
Commits last 30dactivity.commits_last_30d	64	100
Release
Cadence daysrelease.cadence_days	28	16
Historyrelease.history	20 items	20 items
License
Spdxlicense.spdx	-	MIT
Language
Primarylanguage.primary	Java	Ruby
Market
Availabilitymarket.availability	Available worldwide	-
Content
Faqcontent.faq	4 items	5 items

Score

vioscaleAI score

PMD56 / 100low · 49%

RuboCop64 / 100medium · 50%

Pricing

Free tier

PMD✓

RuboCop✓

Model

PMDopen_source

RuboCopopen_source

Price level

PMDfree

RuboCopfree

Transparent

PMD✓

RuboCop✓

Integrations

Count

PMD4

RuboCop14

Security

Scorecard

PMD6.2

RuboCop5.1

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

RuboCopCount: 1 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=rubygems&package_name=rubocop&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0 · Max severity: LOW

Adoption

Dependent repos

PMD356

RuboCop115,529

Github stars

PMD5,508

RuboCop12,913

Activity

Commits last 30d

PMD64

RuboCop100

Release

Cadence days

PMD28

RuboCop16

History

PMD20 items

RuboCop20 items

License

Spdx

PMD–

RuboCopMIT

Language

Primary

PMDJava

RuboCopRuby

Market

Availability

PMDAvailable worldwide

RuboCop–

Content

Faq

PMD4 items

RuboCop5 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	RuboCop
Core
Function	Static analyzer	Linter + formatter
Language scope	Multi-language	Single-language
Implementation language	Java	Ruby
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

RuboCopLinter + formatter

Language scope

PMDMulti-language

RuboCopSingle-language

Implementation language

PMDJava

RuboCopRuby

Capability

Autofix

PMD-

RuboCop✓

Config

Config model

PMDRule packs

RuboCopConfig file

Extensibility

Custom rules

PMD✓

RuboCop✓

Deployment

PMDCLI-local

RuboCopCLI-local

Delivery

Editor integration

PMD✓

RuboCop✓

CI / VCS gating

PMD✓

RuboCop✓

Insight

Code metrics

PMD✓

RuboCop✓

Performance

Incremental / monorepo aware

PMD-

RuboCop-

Licensing

Open-source

PMDOSS

RuboCopOSS

Commercial

Pricing model

PMDFree

RuboCopFree

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

RuboCop

Leader

An open-source linter and formatter for Ruby that enforces the community style guide, identifies potential bugs, and can automatically correct many issues.

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 ↗

RuboCop

Leader

Open sourceFree tier

Free and open source

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	RuboCop
CLIPlatforms	✓	✓
Self-hostedDeployment	✓	✓

Platforms

CLI

PMD✓

RuboCop✓

Deployment

Self-hosted

PMD✓

RuboCop✓

Integrations

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

In common (1)

VS Code

PMD

11 total - 10 not shared

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

Independently observed

RuboCop

Leader

19 total - 18 not shared

rubocop-performance
rubocop-rails
rubocop-rspec
rubocop-minitest
rubocop-rake
rubocop-sequel
rubocop-thread_safety
rubocop-capybara
rubocop-factory_bot
rubocop-rspec_rails
rubocop-i18n
Eglot
Helix
Flycheck
RubyMine
Emacs
Neovim
Zed

Independently observed

Still deciding?

PMD or RuboCop: 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.