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Pylint vs RuboCop: What are the differences?
Introduction:
Pylint and RuboCop are static code analysis tools for Python and Ruby, respectively, used to identify issues in code such as bugs, style violations, and maintainability concerns.
Language Supported: Pylint is specifically designed for Python code, while RuboCop is tailored for analyzing Ruby code. This means that each tool is specialized in detecting language-specific issues and adopting best practices unique to Python or Ruby.
Configuration: Pylint uses a configuration file in the form of a Python file where developers can specify rules and settings for the analysis. In contrast, RuboCop uses a configuration file written in YAML format to define the desired linting rules and behavior.
Linter Philosophy: Pylint aims to enforce a strict coding standard and focus on code quality, while RuboCop is more flexible and encourages the Ruby community's preferred style guide. This difference in philosophy leads to varying degrees of strictness and customization options for developers.
Default Rule Set: Pylint comes with a comprehensive set of default rules enabled out of the box, covering a wide range of potential issues. RuboCop, on the other hand, has a more selective set of default rules, allowing developers to opt into additional rules based on their project requirements.
Integration with Editors: Pylint seamlessly integrates with popular Python IDEs such as PyCharm and VS Code, providing real-time feedback within the editor. In comparison, RuboCop offers similar integrations with Ruby-focused editors like Atom and Sublime Text for a streamlined development workflow.
Community Adoption: Pylint has been widely adopted by the Python community and is considered a standard tool for Python code analysis. RuboCop, although popular within the Ruby ecosystem, has gained traction primarily within Ruby on Rails projects but is not as universally used across the Ruby community.
In Summary, Pylint and RuboCop differ in language support, configuration methods, linter philosophy, default rule sets, editor integrations, and community adoption.
To communicate isn’t just getting rid of syntax errors and making code work. The code should communicate ideas to people through a programming language that computers can also understand.
You should adopt semantic variables, classes, modules, and methods names. For instance, in Ruby, we avoid using particular prefixes such as is_paid, get_name and set_name. In their places, we use directly paid?, name, and name=.
My advice is to use idiomatic and features that the programming language you use offers to you whenever possible, and figure out ways to better pass the message.
Why wouldn’t we be worried about semantics, typos, and styles? We should care for the quality of our code, and the many concepts that define it. You can start by using a linter to collect some issues from your codebase automatically.
Pros of Pylint
- Command Line3
- Spell Check strings & comments2
- Code score & directions2
- Pre-commit checks2
- FOSS2
- Standards2
- IDE Integration2
- Check both committed & Uncommitted code1
- Hints to improve code1
Pros of RuboCop
- Open-source9
- Completely free8
- Runs Offline7
- Follows the Ruby Style Guide by default4
- Can automatically fix some problems4
- Customizable4
- Atom package2
- Integrates with Vim/Emacs/Atom/Sublime/2
- Integrates With Custom CMS1
