Skip to content
SPECIFICTION
Get listed

textlint

textlint.org

Free plan Open source WebWindowsmacOSLinuxAPISelf-hosted
Visit textlint.org
Spec score 8.4 #9 of 29 in Writing Style Checkers

What it is

textlint is a free, open-source tool for checking natural-language text against rules users install and configure. It parses text into an abstract syntax tree, evaluates that structure, and reports errors or warnings. Markdown and plain text are supported by default, while plugins can add HTML and other formats. The tool has no bundled default rules, so users need to select and set up the checks they want. Its CLI can automatically fix problems and produce output in multiple formats. The project lists integrations for Visual Studio Code, Vim, Emacs, Atom, Sublime Text, micro, and NetBeans, and text checks can run in GitHub Actions workflows for commits and pull requests. The CLI can also run as an MCP server, allowing AI assistants to lint and fix text using a project’s textlint configuration. For browser use, @textlint/editor is described as an offline text-linting extension. Developers can use the package’s high-level APIs to integrate textlint into applications. It requires Node.js 20 or later and is MIT-licensed.

Spec sheet

What it does
textlint is a pluggable utility that checks natural-language text for lint errors.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Purpose
textlint is a pluggable linting tool for natural language text.Read 4 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Integrations
The documentation lists integrations for editors including Visual Studio Code, Vim, Emacs, Atom, Sublime Text, micro, and NetBeans.Read 4 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Support
The project directs users to its documentation and community discussions, and asks users to open issues for bugs and feature requests.Read 4 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
License
The core project is released under the MIT license with copyright attributed to azu.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Maker
The website identifies the project as the textlint organization.Read 4 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
AI assistants
The CLI can run as an MCP server that lets AI assistants lint and fix text using the project's textlint configuration.Read 4 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Automatic fixes
The CLI supports --fix and a dry-run mode, and can emit fixed text through a formatter.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Browser
The integrations page describes @textlint/editor as a privacy-first browser extension for offline text linting.Read 4 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Browser extension limitation
The same report found that some form fields did not work correctly and that checking could make interaction somewhat heavier.Read 15 Oct 2026 · gigazine.net
Browser privacy
A GIGAZINE hands-on report describes textlint editor browser extensions as privacy-oriented and offline, avoiding transmission of entered text to a server.Read 15 Oct 2026 · gigazine.net
Caching
Caching can check only changed files using metadata or content-hash strategies.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
CI
textlint can run in GitHub Actions workflows to check text in commits and pull requests.Read 4 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
CI integration
GitHub Actions can run textlint on pushes or pull requests and use GitHub annotations for inline findings.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Configuration
Configuration can be stored in .textlintrc JSON, YAML, or JavaScript files, or in a package.json textlint field.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Default formats
Markdown and plain text work without extra processors; HTML and other formats require plugins.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Documentation depth
Official docs include user configuration, CLI, integrations, MCP setup, rule and plugin authoring, formatter development, APIs, and FAQs.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Editor integrations
Official integration documentation lists Atom, Sublime Text, Vim, Visual Studio Code, micro, NetBeans, and Emacs integrations.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Extensibility
Developers can publish custom rules, filter rules, presets, processor plugins, and formatters as npm modules.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
File formats
Markdown and plain text are supported by default; HTML and other formats can be added with plugins.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Fixes and formatters
The CLI supports automatically fixing problems and offers multiple output formatters.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Formatters
Built-in output formatters include stylish, compact, checkstyle, GitHub, JSON, JUnit, TAP, table, and Unix styles.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
How it works
It parses text into an abstract syntax tree, evaluates it with rules, and reports errors or warnings.Read 4 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Implementation
The project is written in JavaScript and uses a plugin-based design.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Latest release
The GitHub releases page lists v15.8.0 as the latest release, dated August 1, 2026, with MCP SDK and formatter changes.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Limit: interface
Slope Reviews describes textlint as having no graphical interface and says rule discovery can be overwhelming.Read 15 Oct 2026 · slopereviews.com
Limit: language coverage
Slope Reviews reports that Japanese support is stronger than English support and that multilingual coverage is limited.Read 15 Oct 2026 · slopereviews.com
Limit: prescriptiveness
Murmur Brook cautions that the technical-writing preset can push explanatory guides toward an overly uniform structure.Read 15 Oct 2026 · murmurbrook.com
Limit: setup complexity
Independent testing says users need Node.js/npm knowledge and must manually choose and configure rule sets rather than simply downloading a ready-made checker.Read 15 Oct 2026 · slopereviews.com
Low-level API
@textlint/kernel provides lower-level integration without requiring a .textlintrc file.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
MCP integration
The CLI can run an MCP server over stdio so supported AI editors can lint and fix text.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
MCP prerequisites
MCP use requires textlint 14.8.0 or later, an MCP-capable editor, and a configured project because no default rules exist.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Package health
Snyk reports version 15.8.0, an 84/100 health score, and a healthy maintenance classification.Read 15 Oct 2026 · security.snyk.io
Parsing model
It parses documents into an abstract syntax tree and evaluates rules against that structure.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Performance observation
Slope Reviews measured linting under one second on most documents but observed roughly one to two seconds of Node.js startup time.Read 15 Oct 2026 · slopereviews.com
Popularity
Snyk reports approximately 130,631 weekly npm downloads and about 3,154 GitHub stars.Read 15 Oct 2026 · security.snyk.io
Praise: Japanese presets
Murmur Brook found the ja-technical-writing preset polished and effective for consistent technical writing, while combining Japanese and AI-writing presets reduced awkward sentences and repetition.Read 15 Oct 2026 · murmurbrook.com
Praise: modularity
Slope Reviews praises the ability to install only the rule packages needed and extend the tool with custom plugins.Read 15 Oct 2026 · slopereviews.com
Praise: workflow integration
Slope Reviews credits textlint with Markdown, reStructuredText, and HTML support plus editor and CI/CD integration.Read 15 Oct 2026 · slopereviews.com
Programmatic use
The textlint package provides high-level APIs for integrating textlint into applications.Read 4 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Public API
The package exposes createLinter, lintFiles, lintText, fixFiles, fixText, scanFilePath, configuration loaders, and formatter loaders.Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
Requirement
The project README lists Node.js 20 or later as a requirement.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Rule ecosystem
The project describes more than 100 community rules and presets, with independent testing reporting more than 150 available rule packages.Read 15 Oct 2026 · slopereviews.com
Rules
Rules are separate npm packages and are not bundled with the core installation.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Runtime requirement
The current README requires Node.js 20 or newer and recommends local npm installation.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Security scan
Snyk reports no direct vulnerabilities in the latest textlint package, while noting that dependency vulnerabilities are outside that result.Read 15 Oct 2026 · security.snyk.io
Standalone app
The Electron textlint app provides downloadable Windows, Linux, and macOS binaries without requiring Node.js or npm.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Standalone app limitation
The app README lists Markdown-only input and performance improvements as unfinished TODO items.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
VS Code extension requirements
The Visual Studio Code extension uses a local workspace or global textlint installation, requires a .textlintrc configuration, and supports VS Code 1.91 or newer.Read 15 Oct 2026 · marketplace.visualstudio.com

Plans and prices

Open-source textlint Free JavaScript natural-language linter · rules installed separately · Markdown/plain text defaults Read 15 Oct 2026 · textlint.org
textlint Free MIT-licensed software · requires Node.js 20+ · rules must be installed separately Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Every textlint plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Markdown and plain text work by default.
  • CLI supports automatic fixes and multiple output formats.
  • Integrates with listed editors and GitHub Actions.
  • MIT-licensed software is free.

Limits

  • Rules must be installed and configured separately.
  • Requires Node.js 20 or later.

Who it suits

textlint suits writers and teams who want configurable text checks in an editor or CI workflow. Developers can also use its CLI, MCP server, or package APIs to fit checks into their tools.

Verdict

textlint offers configurable linting across editors, CI, browser use, and programmatic integrations. Users should account for the Node.js requirement and the need to install their own rules.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to textlintAll alternatives →