# flake8 vs Pylint

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Pylint

| Attribute | flake8 | Pylint |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 57.5 (66% (medium)) | 72.2 (54% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 4 | 96 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | - | 117,361 |
| adoption.github_stars | 3,819 | 5,715 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | 11,921,653 | - |
| 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. | Pylint automatically scans Python source code to identify problems with coding standards compliance, detect runtime errors, and suggest refactoring improvements. It supports extensive customization through configuration files and plugins. |
| 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":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}` |
| integrations.count | 3 | 10 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"pycodestyle"},{"name":"pyflakes"},{"name":"mccabe"}]` | `[{"name":"Vim"},{"name":"Emacs"},{"name":"Eclipse"},{"name":"TextMate"},{"name":"PyDev"},{"name":"Spyder"},{"name":"Editra"},{"name":"Jenkins"},{"name":"Hudson"},{"name":"Apycot"}]` |
| language.primary | Python | Python |
| license.spdx | MIT | GPL-2.0 |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true}` | `{"cli":true,"mac":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://flake8.pycqa.org/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T08:33:05.860Z"}` | `{"type":"free","summary":"Free and open source. Commercial support services available.","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.pylint.org/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T11:08:27.719Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| release.cadence_days | - | 24 |
| release.history | - | `[{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v4.0.7","date":"2026-08-09T19:12:32Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.0.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v4.0.6","date":"2026-06-14T14:42:38Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.0.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v4.0.5","date":"2026-02-20T09:06:45Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.0.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v4.0.4","date":"2025-11-30T13:28:26Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.0.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v4.0.3","date":"2025-11-13T15:53:59Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.0.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v4.0.2","date":"2025-10-20T13:01:44Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.0.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v4.0.1","date":"2025-10-15T05:40:09Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.0.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v4.0.0","date":"2025-10-12T15:16:43Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.0.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v3.3.9","date":"2025-10-05T18:37:27Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.3.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v3.3.8","date":"2025-08-09T09:12:00Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.3.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v3.3.7","date":"2025-05-04T17:07:12Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.3.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v3.3.6","date":"2025-03-20T11:24:54Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.3.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v3.3.5","date":"2025-03-09T06:47:06Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.3.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v3.3.5a0","date":"2025-03-08T22:20:59Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.3.5a0"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v3.3.4","date":"2025-01-28T13:27:51Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.3.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v3.3.3","date":"2024-12-24T02:30:21Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.3.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v3.3.2","date":"2024-12-01T18:45:02Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.3.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v3.3.1","date":"2024-09-24T11:10:22Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.3.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v3.3.0","date":"2024-09-20T13:03:35Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.3.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/pylint-dev/pylint/releases/tag/v3.2.7","date":"2024-08-31T14:25:58Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.2.7"}]` |
| security.scorecard | 4.4 | 8.1 |
| security.vulnerabilities | - | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=pypi&package_name=pylint&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (Code Quality Tools)

| Capability | flake8 | Pylint |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Function | Linter | Linter |
| Language scope | Single-language | Single-language |
| Implementation language | Python | Python |
| **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: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T17:10:56.955Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*