Prettier vs Stylelint
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
An opinionated code formatter that rewrites your code in one consistent style.
Open source · MIT
A CSS linter that catches errors and enforces style conventions in your stylesheets.
The short answer
Choose Prettier if you need…
- Teams that want one shared code style without writing their own rules
- Developers who want formatting handled automatically on save
- Projects that use JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, or Markdown
- Setups that run formatting in a pre-commit hook or CI check
Choose Stylelint if you need…
- Front-end teams that want consistent CSS across a shared codebase
- Developers who want to catch typos and invalid CSS before it ships
- Projects that write SCSS, Sass, or Less and want linting for those syntaxes
- Teams that already use Prettier and want a linter alongside it
Side-by-side
| Prettier | Stylelint | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dev tool | Dev tool |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 52.4k | 11.5k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 8 days ago |
What each one is
Prettier
Prettier reads your source code, parses it, and reprints it using its own fixed formatting rules, wrapping lines when they exceed a maximum length. It supports many languages, including JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, JSON, Markdown, and YAML. Teams use it so everyone's code looks the same and code reviews don't turn into debates about spacing and line breaks.
Stylelint
Stylelint checks CSS and CSS-like code for mistakes, such as malformed grid areas, misspelled property names, or duplicate selectors, and for style rules your team chooses, such as disallowed units or naming patterns. It can also automatically fix some problems. The README says it has over 150 built-in rules and supports plugins and shareable configs.
Best for
Prettier
- Teams that want one shared code style without writing their own rules
- Developers who want formatting handled automatically on save
- Projects that use JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, or Markdown
- Setups that run formatting in a pre-commit hook or CI check
Stylelint
- Front-end teams that want consistent CSS across a shared codebase
- Developers who want to catch typos and invalid CSS before it ships
- Projects that write SCSS, Sass, or Less and want linting for those syntaxes
- Teams that already use Prettier and want a linter alongside it
Strengths
Prettier
- Removes formatting debates from code review by applying one consistent style
- Supports many languages in one tool, as listed in the README
- Widely used, with an active repository and a recent release (3.9.10)
Stylelint
- Large built-in rule set, described as over 150 rules in the README
- Can automatically fix some problems where possible
- Supports plugins and shareable configs so teams can customize or extend it
Not ideal for
Prettier
- People who want to customize every formatting detail, since Prettier is opinionated and offers limited options (the README links to an Options page, which was not reviewed here)
- Projects in languages not listed in the README, unless a plugin exists for them
Stylelint
- People who only need to write a few static CSS rules and do not want a Node.js toolchain (the project is distributed as a JavaScript package, per its JavaScript language and npm badges)
- Anyone looking for a visual editor or a CSS preprocessor; Stylelint only checks code
Trade-offs
Prettier
- Its opinionated style means limited control over individual formatting choices
- Teams with an established, different style may need to reformat existing code, which creates large diffs
Stylelint
- Setup and rule configuration require some familiarity with Node.js tooling and config files
- The README does not detail configuration specifics here, so teams will need to read the linked docs to tune rules
Getting started
Prettier
Install with npm (from the project's install docs; README excerpt does not include the command)
git clone https://github.com/prettier/prettierStylelint
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/stylelint/stylelintFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Prettier and Stylelint?
Prettier: An opinionated code formatter that rewrites your code in one consistent style. Stylelint: A CSS linter that catches errors and enforces style conventions in your stylesheets. Prettier suits teams that want one shared code style without writing their own rules, while Stylelint suits front-end teams that want consistent css across a shared codebase.
Are Prettier and Stylelint free?
Prettier: Free and open source. Stylelint: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Prettier or Stylelint?
Prettier is easier to get started with (rated beginner); Stylelint is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Prettier or Stylelint more popular?
Prettier has more GitHub stars (52.4k) than Stylelint (11.5k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Prettier and Stylelint?
Other options people compare them with include ESLint, PostCSS, esbuild, Mitosis, Madge.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.