ESLint vs Oxc
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
A JavaScript linter that finds and reports problematic code patterns, with rules you can configure.
Open source · MIT
Fast JavaScript and TypeScript tools (parser, linter, formatter, minifier) written in Rust.
The short answer
Choose ESLint if you need…
- JavaScript developers who want automatic checks on their code
- Teams that want consistent rules enforced in a shared configuration
- Projects that need to customize which code patterns are flagged
- Developers working with React who add a React-specific plugin on top
Choose Oxc if you need…
- Developers who want to lint a JavaScript or TypeScript project quickly
- Teams building their own JavaScript build tooling who need a parser or resolver
- Projects already using or considering Vite or Rolldown
Side-by-side
| ESLint | Oxc | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dev tool | Dev tool |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 27.6k | 23.3k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Beginner |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | Rust |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
ESLint
ESLint is a tool that scans JavaScript (ECMAScript) code and reports patterns that may be problems or bad practice. It works by parsing code into a syntax tree and checking it against rules, and every rule is a pluggable piece you can turn on, off, or adjust. Developers use it to catch mistakes and keep code style consistent across a project.
Oxc
Oxc is a collection of tools for working with JavaScript and TypeScript code, written in Rust. It includes a linter (Oxlint), a formatter (Oxfmt), and building blocks such as a parser, transformer, minifier, and module resolver. The README says it is designed for speed and is used by build tools such as Rolldown, the bundler behind Vite.
Best for
ESLint
- JavaScript developers who want automatic checks on their code
- Teams that want consistent rules enforced in a shared configuration
- Projects that need to customize which code patterns are flagged
- Developers working with React who add a React-specific plugin on top
Oxc
- Developers who want to lint a JavaScript or TypeScript project quickly
- Teams building their own JavaScript build tooling who need a parser or resolver
- Projects already using or considering Vite or Rolldown
Strengths
ESLint
- Highly pluggable: every rule is a plugin and rules can be added at runtime, per the README
- Mature and widely used, with an MIT license and about 27,600 GitHub stars
- Clear three-level severity model (off, warn, error) that controls the exit code
Oxc
- Written in Rust, and the README positions it around high performance
- Covers several steps of the JavaScript toolchain (lint, format, parse, transform, minify, resolve) under one project
- Released under the permissive MIT license
Not ideal for
ESLint
- People who only want code formatting; the README says Prettier is the formatter and ESLint is a linter
- Users of experimental or non-standard syntax without a suitable parser, since ESLint officially supports only the latest final ECMAScript standard
- Environments that cannot run a supported Node.js version (^20.19.0, ^22.13.0, or >=24)
Oxc
- People who need a fully documented, stable plugin ecosystem, since the README does not describe one
- Non-developers, since the tools run on code and require a command line
- Teams that need features the README does not mention, because the README is short on feature details
Trade-offs
ESLint
- Requires a supported Node.js version and, for TypeScript type definitions, TypeScript 5.3 or later
- Does not lock dependency versions by design, so behavior can change as dependencies update
- Parser officially supports only the latest final ECMAScript standard; newer experimental syntax may need other parsers
Oxc
- The README is truncated and gives few details on features, configuration, or compatibility
- Built on top of a fast-moving toolchain, so APIs and behavior may change between releases
- Benchmarks and performance claims are linked to external docs rather than shown in the README
Getting started
ESLint
Install and configure ESLint
npm init @eslint/config@latestRun ESLint on a file
npx eslint yourfile.jsOxc
Lint a codebase with Oxlint
npx oxlint@latestFormat a codebase with Oxfmt
npx oxfmt@latestFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between ESLint and Oxc?
ESLint: A JavaScript linter that finds and reports problematic code patterns, with rules you can configure. Oxc: Fast JavaScript and TypeScript tools (parser, linter, formatter, minifier) written in Rust. ESLint suits javascript developers who want automatic checks on their code, while Oxc suits developers who want to lint a javascript or typescript project quickly.
Are ESLint and Oxc free?
ESLint: Free and open source. Oxc: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, ESLint or Oxc?
Oxc is easier to get started with (rated beginner); ESLint is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is ESLint or Oxc more popular?
ESLint has more GitHub stars (27.6k) than Oxc (23.3k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to ESLint and Oxc?
Other options people compare them with include typescript-eslint, Prettier, standard, lint-staged, RuboCop.
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.