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Ruff vs golangci-lint: open-source code quality and static analysis tools compared

Metrics as of , from the GitHub or GitLab API of each repository. Refreshed monthly.

Summary

Ruff: Python linter and code formatter written in Rust that covers Flake8, Black and isort functions in one tool.

golangci-lint: Go linters runner that executes bundled linters in parallel with caching and YAML configuration.

Both are listed under Code quality and static analysis. The table gives repository metrics from the GitHub API with their fetch date, then the documented facts used for every comparison in this category, each linked to the README or docs page it comes from. A cell reads "not documented" when the fact was not found in the project's documentation; that does not mean the feature is absent.

Side by side

Ruff and golangci-lint: metrics and documented facts, in the fixed row order used for code quality and static analysis comparisons.
FactRuffgolangci-lint
Stars49,731119,3941
Forks2,43011,6251
Contributors97913991
Last release2026-09-1612026-08-271
Last commit2026-09-2212026-09-201
Commits in 90 days1,44711031
LicenseMIT1GPL-3.01
Primary languageRust1Go1
Statusactive1active1
Languages or files analysedPython files (*.py, *.pyi), Jupyter Notebooks (*.ipynb) and pyproject.toml source: Docs: Configuring RuffGo code source: README
Configuration formatTOML settings in pyproject.toml, ruff.toml or .ruff.toml source: READMEConfig file in YAML, TOML or JSON (.golangci.yml, .golangci.yaml, .golangci.toml, .golangci.json) source: Docs: Configuration File
CI integrationGitHub Actions (ruff-action) and a GitLab CI/CD example with a code quality report source: Docs: IntegrationsGitHub Action; GitLab CI component; Buildkite plugin source: Docs: CI Installation
Report formatsconcise, full, JSON, JSON Lines, JUnit, grouped, GitHub, GitLab, Pylint, rdjson, Azure, SARIF source: Docs: Configuring Rufftext, JSON, tab, HTML, Checkstyle, Code Climate, JUnit XML, TeamCity, SARIF source: Docs: Command-Line Options
Install methodPyPI package ruff via uv, pip or pipx; standalone installers source: READMEBinaries, Homebrew (brew install golangci-lint), MacPorts, Chocolatey, Scoop, Docker image golangci/golangci-lint source: Docs: Local Installation

1 Fetched from the GitHub or GitLab API on . Hover a value for its own date.

When each fits

Written from each project's documented scope, not from preference. Neither tool is ranked.

Ruff

Fits projects that lint and format Python code with one tool; its README describes use in place of Flake8, Black, isort, pydocstyle, pyupgrade and autoflake. source: README

golangci-lint

Fits projects that run several Go linters together; its README describes a runner that runs linters in parallel, uses caching and supports YAML configuration. source: README

More on these tools

Sources

  1. GitHub REST API: repository, read
  2. GitHub REST API: repository, read
  3. GitHub REST API: contributors, read
  4. GitHub REST API: contributors, read
  5. GitHub REST API: latest release, read
  6. GitHub REST API: latest release, read
  7. GitHub REST API: commits, read
  8. GitHub REST API: commits, read
  9. Docs: Configuring Ruff, read
  10. README, read
  11. README, read
  12. Docs: Configuration File, read
  13. Docs: Integrations, read
  14. Docs: CI Installation, read
  15. Docs: Command-Line Options, read
  16. Docs: Local Installation, read

Documented facts collected 2026-09-22. See the methodology for how metrics and facts are gathered.