Checkstyle vs HLint
Checkstyle
checkstyle.orgHLint
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Checkstyle | HLint |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Linters | 8.0 (#9) | 7.7 (#19) |
| Configuration | Users can choose supplied Google Java Style, Sun Conventions, OpenJDK Style, or Doc Style configurations, or create their own. | Projects can configure HLint with a .hlint.yaml file, including custom hints and ignored suggestions. |
| License | The project license is LGPL-2.1-or-later. | The repository provides HLint under a BSD-style license that permits redistribution and use in source and binary forms subject to listed conditions. |
| Purpose | Checkstyle analyzes Java source code against configurable rules to help teams enforce coding standards. | HLint suggests possible improvements to Haskell code, including alternative functions, simplifications, and redundancies. |
Plans
In their own words
Checkstyle
Checkstyle is a free Java source-code analyzer for programmers who follow a coding standard. It checks naming, imports, Javadoc, formatting, class design, and coding practices against configurable rules. You can select supplied Google Java Style, Sun Conventions, OpenJDK Style, or Doc Style configurations, or create your own. Checkstyle runs from its command-line tool or as an Ant task, with documented Maven and Gradle integrations. Listed IDE and CI integrations include Eclipse, Bamboo, GitHub Actions, Codacy, and Code Climate. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. The current site says it parses Java features through Java 25; versions 13.x and 14.x require Java runtime 21 or newer. Analysis is single-file and source-level, without expression-type determination or a full inheritance hierarchy. Releases are available through GitHub releases and Maven Central, including a standalone all-in-one JAR. It is licensed under LGPL-2.1-or-later and supports only the latest version.
HLint
HLint is free software for analyzing Haskell source and suggesting possible improvements. It can point out alternative functions, simpler expressions, and redundant code. Every hint identifies the file and line, gives a severity and description, shows the code found, and proposes a replacement. Projects can configure behavior in a .hlint.yaml file, adding custom hints or ignoring selected suggestions. The --refactor flag applies some recommendations and requires the refactor executable from the apply-refact package on PATH. The --report flag creates an interactive HTML findings report. HLint runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, with listed integrations including editor plugins, Haskell Language Server, ghc-mod, Intero, a GHC source plugin, Code Climate, and GitHub Actions. It analyzes one module at a time without type or scope knowledge. Version 3.10 is listed as released February 2, 2024. It is distributed under a BSD-style license.