textlint
textlint is a free, open-source tool for checking natural-language text against rules that users install and configure.
What textlint is
textlint is a free, open-source tool for checking natural-language text against rules that users install and configure. It parses text into an abstract syntax tree, evaluates that structure, then reports errors or warnings. Markdown and plain text are supported by default; plugins can add HTML and other formats. There are no bundled default rules, so users need to choose and set up the checks they want. The command-line interface can automatically fix problems and produce output in multiple formats. The project lists editor integrations for Visual Studio Code, Vim, Emacs, Atom, Sublime Text, micro, and NetBeans, and it can run in GitHub Actions to check commits and pull requests. The CLI can also operate as an MCP server, allowing AI assistants to lint and fix text using a project's configuration. A browser extension, @textlint/editor, supports offline text linting. Developers can use the package's high-level APIs to integrate it into applications. textlint requires Node.js 20 or later and is MIT-licensed.
Good
- Markdown and plain text work by default.
- CLI can automatically fix problems.
- Integrates with several code and text editors.
- Can run checks in GitHub Actions.
Watch out
- Users must install and configure rules.
- Requires Node.js 20 or later.
Who it suits
textlint suits writers and developers who want configurable text checks in editors, command-line workflows, or applications. It is also an option for projects that want text checks in GitHub Actions or through an MCP server.
Verdict
textlint offers flexible text linting across editors, command-line use, and application integrations. Its rule setup is a required step, and it requires Node.js 20 or later.
Plans and prices
From textlint's own pricing page, checked 15 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Open-source textlint | Free | JavaScript natural-language linter · rules installed separately · Markdown/plain text defaults |
| textlint | Free | MIT-licensed software · requires Node.js 20+ · rules must be installed separately |
The facts
Each one read from textlint's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- AI assistants
- The CLI can run as an MCP server that lets AI assistants lint and fix text using the project's textlint configuration.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Automatic fixes
- The CLI supports --fix and a dry-run mode, and can emit fixed text through a formatter.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Caching
- Caching can check only changed files using metadata or content-hash strategies.checked 15 Oct 2026
- CI
- textlint can run in GitHub Actions workflows to check text in commits and pull requests.checked 4 Oct 2026
- CI integration
- GitHub Actions can run textlint on pushes or pull requests and use GitHub annotations for inline findings.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Configuration
- Configuration can be stored in .textlintrc JSON, YAML, or JavaScript files, or in a package.json textlint field.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Default formats
- Markdown and plain text work without extra processors; HTML and other formats require plugins.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Documentation depth
- Official docs include user configuration, CLI, integrations, MCP setup, rule and plugin authoring, formatter development, APIs, and FAQs.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Editor integrations
- Official integration documentation lists Atom, Sublime Text, Vim, Visual Studio Code, micro, NetBeans, and Emacs integrations.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Extensibility
- Developers can publish custom rules, filter rules, presets, processor plugins, and formatters as npm modules.checked 15 Oct 2026
- File formats
- Markdown and plain text are supported by default; HTML and other formats can be added with plugins.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Fixes and formatters
- The CLI supports automatically fixing problems and offers multiple output formatters.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Formatters
- Built-in output formatters include stylish, compact, checkstyle, GitHub, JSON, JUnit, TAP, table, and Unix styles.checked 15 Oct 2026
- How it works
- It parses text into an abstract syntax tree, evaluates it with rules, and reports errors or warnings.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Implementation
- The project is written in JavaScript and uses a plugin-based design.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The documentation lists integrations for editors including Visual Studio Code, Vim, Emacs, Atom, Sublime Text, micro, and NetBeans.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Latest release
- The GitHub releases page lists v15.8.0 as the latest release, dated August 1, 2026, with MCP SDK and formatter changes.checked 15 Oct 2026
- License
- The core project is released under the MIT license with copyright attributed to azu.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: interface
- Slope Reviews describes textlint as having no graphical interface and says rule discovery can be overwhelming.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: language coverage
- Slope Reviews reports that Japanese support is stronger than English support and that multilingual coverage is limited.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: prescriptiveness
- Murmur Brook cautions that the technical-writing preset can push explanatory guides toward an overly uniform structure.checked 15 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Browser
- The integrations page describes @textlint/editor as a privacy-first browser extension for offline text linting.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Browser extension limitation
- The same report found that some form fields did not work correctly and that checking could make interaction somewhat heavier.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Browser privacy
- A GIGAZINE hands-on report describes textlint editor browser extensions as privacy-oriented and offline, avoiding transmission of entered text to a server.checked 15 Oct 2026
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