Checkstyle vs SwiftLint
Checkstyle
checkstyle.orgSwiftLint
realm.github.ioSide by side
| Figure | Checkstyle | SwiftLint |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 8.0 (#11) |
| Configuration | Users can choose supplied Google Java Style, Sun Conventions, OpenJDK Style, or Doc Style configurations, or create their own. | File inclusions and exclusions can be configured in a `.swiftlint.yml` configuration file. |
| Distribution | The latest release is available from GitHub releases or Maven Central, and the site documents a standalone all-in-one JAR. | The project documents installation through Homebrew, CocoaPods, Mint, Bazel, Swift Package Manager, prebuilt packages, and source builds. |
| License | The project license is LGPL-2.1-or-later. | The GitHub repository identifies SwiftLint as MIT licensed. |
| Purpose | Checkstyle analyzes Java source code against configurable rules to help teams enforce coding standards. | SwiftLint enforces Swift style and conventions based on rules generally accepted by the Swift community. |
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.
SwiftLint
SwiftLint is a free, MIT-licensed tool that checks Swift source against style rules and conventions accepted by the Swift community. It includes more than 200 built-in rules, with opt-in rules disabled by default. A project can set active rules, included and excluded paths, and rule settings in a `.swiftlint.yml` file. SwiftLint can automatically correct some violations, overwriting affected files, and its command line supports linting, analysis, baselines, rule listings, and multiple reporters. Documented integrations include Xcode and Swift Package Manager plugins, pre-commit, Fastlane, Docker, Visual Studio Code, and MegaLinter. Installation choices include package managers, prebuilt packages, and source builds. Releases include macOS, Windows, and Linux binaries. SwiftLint is intended for valid, compilable source, and non-compiling code may produce unexpected results, especially when autocorrecting. Analyzer rules are considerably slower than lint rules. The project is maintained by volunteers, and the maintainers describe it as non-commercial.