eslint vs prettier vs standard vs xo
JavaScript Code Quality Tools Comparison
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What's JavaScript Code Quality Tools?

JavaScript code quality tools are essential for maintaining high standards in code readability, consistency, and overall quality. These tools help developers enforce coding standards, automatically format code, and catch potential errors before they become problematic. By integrating these tools into the development workflow, teams can ensure that their codebase remains clean, maintainable, and free from common pitfalls. Each tool has its unique features and philosophies, catering to different preferences and project requirements.

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eslint48,611,39525,5493.39 MB9320 hours agoMIT
prettier45,318,55249,9337.88 MB1,4413 days agoMIT
standard435,62329,239164 kB1235 months agoMIT
xo95,6537,72768 kB652 months agoMIT
Feature Comparison: eslint vs prettier vs standard vs xo

Configuration Flexibility

  • eslint:

    ESLint offers extensive configuration options, allowing developers to customize rules, set environments, and define plugins tailored to their specific needs. This flexibility makes it suitable for a wide range of projects and coding styles.

  • prettier:

    Prettier is designed to require minimal configuration, focusing on enforcing a consistent code style with sensible defaults. While it can be configured to some extent, its opinionated nature means that most users will benefit from using it without extensive adjustments.

  • standard:

    Standard is completely zero-config, meaning it comes with a predefined set of rules that cannot be changed. This simplicity is beneficial for teams that want to avoid configuration overhead and adhere to a consistent style without debate.

  • xo:

    XO provides a balanced approach with sensible defaults and some configurable options. It aims to enforce best practices while still allowing for some customization, making it a good middle ground for teams.

Integration with Build Tools

  • eslint:

    ESLint integrates seamlessly with various build tools and IDEs, enabling real-time linting during development. It can be easily incorporated into CI/CD pipelines to ensure code quality before merging changes.

  • prettier:

    Prettier can be integrated into build processes and editors, allowing for automatic code formatting on save or during builds. This ensures that all code adheres to the same formatting rules consistently across the project.

  • standard:

    Standard can be integrated into build tools and CI environments, but its zero-config nature means it may require additional setup for specific integrations. It is straightforward to use in most scenarios without much overhead.

  • xo:

    XO supports integration with various build tools and editors, providing real-time feedback during development. It can also be used in CI environments to enforce code quality checks.

Community and Ecosystem

  • eslint:

    ESLint has a large and active community, with numerous plugins and extensions available for various frameworks and libraries. This extensive ecosystem allows developers to enhance their linting experience significantly.

  • prettier:

    Prettier also has a robust community and is widely adopted across many projects. Its popularity has led to numerous integrations with other tools and platforms, making it a standard choice for code formatting.

  • standard:

    Standard has a smaller community compared to ESLint but is still widely used. Its simplicity and zero-config approach have garnered a dedicated user base, especially among those who prefer convention over configuration.

  • xo:

    XO is a newer tool with a growing community. While it may not have as many plugins as ESLint, it is designed to be modern and user-friendly, appealing to developers looking for a straightforward linting solution.

Learning Curve

  • eslint:

    ESLint has a steeper learning curve due to its extensive configuration options and flexibility. New users may need time to understand how to set up and customize their linting rules effectively.

  • prettier:

    Prettier is easy to learn and use, as it focuses solely on formatting and requires minimal configuration. Developers can quickly adopt it without needing to understand complex rules.

  • standard:

    Standard is very easy to pick up since it requires no configuration. Developers can start using it immediately, making it a great choice for teams looking for simplicity.

  • xo:

    XO has a moderate learning curve, as it offers some configuration options while still being user-friendly. Developers familiar with ESLint will find it relatively easy to adapt.

Error Detection

  • eslint:

    ESLint excels in error detection, identifying a wide range of issues from stylistic problems to potential bugs in the code. Its ability to catch errors early in the development process is one of its key strengths.

  • prettier:

    Prettier focuses primarily on formatting rather than error detection. While it ensures consistent code style, it does not catch logical errors or potential bugs in the code.

  • standard:

    Standard provides basic error detection based on its predefined rules, but it may not catch as many issues as ESLint due to its limited configurability.

  • xo:

    XO offers good error detection capabilities, combining some of the best practices from ESLint while maintaining a simpler setup. It helps catch common issues while promoting a clean code style.

How to Choose: eslint vs prettier vs standard vs xo
  • eslint:

    Choose ESLint if you need a highly configurable linter that allows you to define your own rules and integrate with various plugins for specific frameworks or libraries. ESLint is ideal for teams that want to enforce custom coding standards and catch a wide range of issues in their code.

  • prettier:

    Choose Prettier if your primary goal is to maintain consistent code formatting across your project with minimal configuration. Prettier is opinionated and focuses solely on formatting, making it perfect for teams that want to avoid debates over code style and ensure uniformity in code appearance.

  • standard:

    Choose Standard if you prefer a zero-configuration approach to JavaScript coding standards. Standard enforces a set of predefined rules without the need for configuration files, making it suitable for projects where simplicity and convention over configuration is desired.

  • xo:

    Choose XO if you want a modern linter with a focus on simplicity and a built-in set of rules that align with best practices. XO also supports TypeScript and offers a straightforward setup, making it a great choice for projects that want to enforce quality without extensive configuration.

Similar Npm Packages to eslint

eslint is a widely used linting utility for JavaScript and JSX code. It helps developers identify and fix problems in their code by enforcing a consistent coding style and catching potential errors before they become issues. ESLint is highly configurable, allowing developers to define their own rules or use predefined configurations to suit their project's needs. While ESLint is an excellent tool for maintaining code quality, there are other alternatives that serve similar purposes. Here are a few notable alternatives:

  • prettier is an opinionated code formatter that focuses on maintaining a consistent style across your codebase. Unlike ESLint, which primarily focuses on identifying and fixing code quality issues, Prettier automatically formats your code according to a set of rules. It can be used alongside ESLint to ensure both code quality and consistent formatting, making it a popular choice among developers who want to streamline their development workflow.
  • stylelint is a modern linter specifically designed for CSS and other style-related files. It helps developers maintain consistent styles and catch errors in their stylesheets. If your project involves a significant amount of CSS or preprocessors like SCSS or LESS, using Stylelint in conjunction with ESLint can help ensure that both your JavaScript and styles are well-structured and error-free.
  • tslint was a linter specifically designed for TypeScript code. However, it has been deprecated in favor of ESLint, which now supports TypeScript through the use of plugins. If you are working on a TypeScript project, you can leverage ESLint's capabilities to lint your TypeScript code effectively, making TSLint less relevant in modern development.

For a comprehensive comparison of these packages, visit: Comparing eslint vs prettier vs stylelint vs tslint.

Similar Npm Packages to prettier

prettier is an opinionated code formatter that helps developers maintain consistent code style across their projects. It automatically formats code according to predefined rules, making it easier to read and reducing the likelihood of style-related issues. While prettier is widely used for code formatting, there are several alternatives that also serve similar purposes. Here are a few notable ones:

  • eslint is primarily a linting tool for JavaScript and JSX code, but it also offers formatting capabilities. With a wide range of rules and plugins, ESLint helps developers identify and fix problems in their code, ensuring adherence to coding standards. While ESLint focuses on code quality and potential errors, it can be configured to format code as well, making it a versatile tool for maintaining code style and quality.
  • js-beautify is a simple and flexible JavaScript code beautifier that can format HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code. It allows developers to customize formatting options according to their preferences. While js-beautify is a straightforward tool for beautifying code, it may not offer the same level of integration and automation as prettier, making it more suitable for quick formatting tasks rather than comprehensive code style enforcement.
  • standard is a JavaScript style guide, linter, and formatter that enforces a specific coding style without the need for configuration. It promotes a set of rules that developers can follow to ensure consistency across their codebases. Standard is particularly appealing for teams that want to adopt a uniform coding style without spending time on configuration, but it may not offer the same flexibility as prettier in terms of customization.

To see how prettier compares with eslint, js-beautify, and standard, check out the comparison: Comparing eslint vs js-beautify vs prettier vs standard.

Similar Npm Packages to standard

standard is a JavaScript style guide, linter, and formatter that enforces a consistent coding style across your codebase without the need for configuration. It aims to provide a zero-configuration experience, allowing developers to focus on writing code rather than worrying about formatting issues. While standard is a popular choice for maintaining code quality, there are several alternatives available that cater to different needs and preferences. Here are a few notable options:

  • eslint is a highly configurable linter for JavaScript and JSX, allowing developers to enforce coding standards and identify problematic patterns in their code. Unlike standard, which is opinionated and requires no configuration, ESLint offers extensive customization options, enabling teams to define their own rules and styles. ESLint is widely used in the JavaScript community and integrates well with various development tools and editors, making it a versatile choice for projects of all sizes.
  • prettier is an opinionated code formatter that focuses solely on code style, ensuring that all code is formatted consistently. While it does not perform linting like ESLint, it can be used in conjunction with ESLint to provide a comprehensive solution for both formatting and linting. Prettier's primary goal is to eliminate debates over code style by enforcing a specific style automatically, making it a popular choice for teams looking for a straightforward formatting solution.
  • semistandard is a JavaScript style guide that builds upon standard by allowing the use of semicolons. It provides a similar zero-configuration experience while giving developers the flexibility to choose whether to use semicolons in their code. Semistandard is ideal for those who appreciate the simplicity of standard but prefer to include semicolons for clarity and consistency in their code.
  • xo is another opinionated linter that aims to provide a great developer experience with a focus on modern JavaScript features. It comes with a set of predefined rules and supports both JavaScript and TypeScript. XO also emphasizes a zero-configuration approach, allowing developers to get started quickly while still providing options for customization if needed.

To explore how these packages compare, check out the comparison: Comparing eslint vs prettier vs semistandard vs standard vs xo.

Similar Npm Packages to xo

xo is a modern JavaScript linter that aims to provide a simple and consistent coding style across your projects. It is built on top of ESLint and comes with a set of pre-configured rules, making it easy to get started without extensive configuration. With its focus on simplicity and ease of use, xo helps developers maintain clean and readable code, while also catching common errors and enforcing best practices.

While xo is a great option for linting JavaScript code, there are several alternatives available in the ecosystem that cater to different needs:

  • eslint is one of the most popular linting tools for JavaScript and TypeScript. It provides a highly customizable framework for defining and enforcing coding standards. With a vast ecosystem of plugins and configurations, eslint allows developers to tailor their linting rules to fit their specific project requirements. If you need a flexible and powerful linter that can be adapted to various coding styles and frameworks, eslint is an excellent choice.

  • prettier is an opinionated code formatter that focuses on enforcing a consistent style across your codebase. Unlike traditional linters that check for code quality and best practices, prettier automatically formats your code according to predefined rules. It can be used alongside eslint to ensure both code quality and consistent formatting. If your primary goal is to maintain a uniform code style without worrying about the specifics of linting rules, prettier is the way to go.

  • standard is a JavaScript style guide, linter, and formatter that comes with a set of predefined rules. It emphasizes simplicity and convention over configuration, making it easy for developers to adopt without needing to customize settings. standard is particularly useful for teams looking for a straightforward solution that enforces a consistent coding style without the overhead of extensive configuration. If you prefer a no-frills approach to linting and formatting, standard might be the right fit.

To explore how xo compares with eslint, prettier, and standard, check out the comparison: Comparing eslint vs prettier vs standard vs xo.

README for eslint

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ESLint

Website | Configure ESLint | Rules | Contribute to ESLint | Report Bugs | Code of Conduct | Twitter | Discord | Mastodon | Bluesky

ESLint is a tool for identifying and reporting on patterns found in ECMAScript/JavaScript code. In many ways, it is similar to JSLint and JSHint with a few exceptions:

  • ESLint uses Espree for JavaScript parsing.
  • ESLint uses an AST to evaluate patterns in code.
  • ESLint is completely pluggable, every single rule is a plugin and you can add more at runtime.

Table of Contents

  1. Installation and Usage
  2. Configuration
  3. Version Support
  4. Code of Conduct
  5. Filing Issues
  6. Frequently Asked Questions
  7. Releases
  8. Security Policy
  9. Semantic Versioning Policy
  10. License
  11. Team
  12. Sponsors
  13. Technology Sponsors

Installation and Usage

Prerequisites: Node.js (^18.18.0, ^20.9.0, or >=21.1.0) built with SSL support. (If you are using an official Node.js distribution, SSL is always built in.)

You can install and configure ESLint using this command:

npm init @eslint/config@latest

After that, you can run ESLint on any file or directory like this:

npx eslint yourfile.js

pnpm Installation

To use ESLint with pnpm, we recommend setting up a .npmrc file with at least the following settings:

auto-install-peers=true
node-linker=hoisted

This ensures that pnpm installs dependencies in a way that is more compatible with npm and is less likely to produce errors.

Configuration

You can configure rules in your eslint.config.js files as in this example:

export default [
    {
        files: ["**/*.js", "**/*.cjs", "**/*.mjs"],
        rules: {
            "prefer-const": "warn",
            "no-constant-binary-expression": "error"
        }
    }
];

The names "prefer-const" and "no-constant-binary-expression" are the names of rules in ESLint. The first value is the error level of the rule and can be one of these values:

  • "off" or 0 - turn the rule off
  • "warn" or 1 - turn the rule on as a warning (doesn't affect exit code)
  • "error" or 2 - turn the rule on as an error (exit code will be 1)

The three error levels allow you fine-grained control over how ESLint applies rules (for more configuration options and details, see the configuration docs).

Version Support

The ESLint team provides ongoing support for the current version and six months of limited support for the previous version. Limited support includes critical bug fixes, security issues, and compatibility issues only.

ESLint offers commercial support for both current and previous versions through our partners, Tidelift and HeroDevs.

See Version Support for more details.

Code of Conduct

ESLint adheres to the OpenJS Foundation Code of Conduct.

Filing Issues

Before filing an issue, please be sure to read the guidelines for what you're reporting:

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ESLint support JSX?

Yes, ESLint natively supports parsing JSX syntax (this must be enabled in configuration). Please note that supporting JSX syntax is not the same as supporting React. React applies specific semantics to JSX syntax that ESLint doesn't recognize. We recommend using eslint-plugin-react if you are using React and want React semantics.

Does Prettier replace ESLint?

No, ESLint and Prettier have different jobs: ESLint is a linter (looking for problematic patterns) and Prettier is a code formatter. Using both tools is common, refer to Prettier's documentation to learn how to configure them to work well with each other.

What ECMAScript versions does ESLint support?

ESLint has full support for ECMAScript 3, 5, and every year from 2015 up until the most recent stage 4 specification (the default). You can set your desired ECMAScript syntax and other settings (like global variables) through configuration.

What about experimental features?

ESLint's parser only officially supports the latest final ECMAScript standard. We will make changes to core rules in order to avoid crashes on stage 3 ECMAScript syntax proposals (as long as they are implemented using the correct experimental ESTree syntax). We may make changes to core rules to better work with language extensions (such as JSX, Flow, and TypeScript) on a case-by-case basis.

In other cases (including if rules need to warn on more or fewer cases due to new syntax, rather than just not crashing), we recommend you use other parsers and/or rule plugins. If you are using Babel, you can use @babel/eslint-parser and @babel/eslint-plugin to use any option available in Babel.

Once a language feature has been adopted into the ECMAScript standard (stage 4 according to the TC39 process), we will accept issues and pull requests related to the new feature, subject to our contributing guidelines. Until then, please use the appropriate parser and plugin(s) for your experimental feature.

Which Node.js versions does ESLint support?

ESLint updates the supported Node.js versions with each major release of ESLint. At that time, ESLint's supported Node.js versions are updated to be:

  1. The most recent maintenance release of Node.js
  2. The lowest minor version of the Node.js LTS release that includes the features the ESLint team wants to use.
  3. The Node.js Current release

ESLint is also expected to work with Node.js versions released after the Node.js Current release.

Refer to the Quick Start Guide for the officially supported Node.js versions for a given ESLint release.

Where to ask for help?

Open a discussion or stop by our Discord server.

Why doesn't ESLint lock dependency versions?

Lock files like package-lock.json are helpful for deployed applications. They ensure that dependencies are consistent between environments and across deployments.

Packages like eslint that get published to the npm registry do not include lock files. npm install eslint as a user will respect version constraints in ESLint's package.json. ESLint and its dependencies will be included in the user's lock file if one exists, but ESLint's own lock file would not be used.

We intentionally don't lock dependency versions so that we have the latest compatible dependency versions in development and CI that our users get when installing ESLint in a project.

The Twilio blog has a deeper dive to learn more.

Releases

We have scheduled releases every two weeks on Friday or Saturday. You can follow a release issue for updates about the scheduling of any particular release.

Security Policy

ESLint takes security seriously. We work hard to ensure that ESLint is safe for everyone and that security issues are addressed quickly and responsibly. Read the full security policy.

Semantic Versioning Policy

ESLint follows semantic versioning. However, due to the nature of ESLint as a code quality tool, it's not always clear when a minor or major version bump occurs. To help clarify this for everyone, we've defined the following semantic versioning policy for ESLint:

  • Patch release (intended to not break your lint build)
    • A bug fix in a rule that results in ESLint reporting fewer linting errors.
    • A bug fix to the CLI or core (including formatters).
    • Improvements to documentation.
    • Non-user-facing changes such as refactoring code, adding, deleting, or modifying tests, and increasing test coverage.
    • Re-releasing after a failed release (i.e., publishing a release that doesn't work for anyone).
  • Minor release (might break your lint build)
    • A bug fix in a rule that results in ESLint reporting more linting errors.
    • A new rule is created.
    • A new option to an existing rule that does not result in ESLint reporting more linting errors by default.
    • A new addition to an existing rule to support a newly-added language feature (within the last 12 months) that will result in ESLint reporting more linting errors by default.
    • An existing rule is deprecated.
    • A new CLI capability is created.
    • New capabilities to the public API are added (new classes, new methods, new arguments to existing methods, etc.).
    • A new formatter is created.
    • eslint:recommended is updated and will result in strictly fewer linting errors (e.g., rule removals).
  • Major release (likely to break your lint build)
    • eslint:recommended is updated and may result in new linting errors (e.g., rule additions, most rule option updates).
    • A new option to an existing rule that results in ESLint reporting more linting errors by default.
    • An existing formatter is removed.
    • Part of the public API is removed or changed in an incompatible way. The public API includes:
      • Rule schemas
      • Configuration schema
      • Command-line options
      • Node.js API
      • Rule, formatter, parser, plugin APIs

According to our policy, any minor update may report more linting errors than the previous release (ex: from a bug fix). As such, we recommend using the tilde (~) in package.json e.g. "eslint": "~3.1.0" to guarantee the results of your builds.

License

MIT License

Copyright OpenJS Foundation and other contributors, <www.openjsf.org>

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

Team

These folks keep the project moving and are resources for help.

Technical Steering Committee (TSC)

The people who manage releases, review feature requests, and meet regularly to ensure ESLint is properly maintained.

Nicholas C. Zakas's Avatar
Nicholas C. Zakas 		Francesco Trotta's Avatar
Francesco Trotta 		Milos Djermanovic's Avatar
Milos Djermanovic

Reviewers

The people who review and implement new features.

唯然's Avatar
唯然 		Nitin Kumar's Avatar
Nitin Kumar

Committers

The people who review and fix bugs and help triage issues.

Josh Goldberg ✨'s Avatar
Josh Goldberg ✨ 		Tanuj Kanti's Avatar
Tanuj Kanti

Website Team

Team members who focus specifically on eslint.org

Amaresh S M's Avatar
Amaresh S M 		Strek's Avatar
Strek 		Percy Ma's Avatar
Percy Ma

Sponsors

The following companies, organizations, and individuals support ESLint's ongoing maintenance and development. Become a Sponsor to get your logo on our READMEs and website.

Platinum Sponsors

Automattic Airbnb

Gold Sponsors

Qlty Software trunk.io

Silver Sponsors

Vite JetBrains Liftoff American Express

Bronze Sponsors

Cybozu Anagram Solver Icons8 Discord GitBook Neko Nx Mercedes-Benz Group HeroCoders

Technology Sponsors

Technology sponsors allow us to use their products and services for free as part of a contribution to the open source ecosystem and our work.

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