compare
Checkstyle vs PMD
The same facts for both, read from GitHub every night, and the relation a person reviewed.
| Fact | Checkstyle | PMD |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Java | Java |
| Licence | LGPL-2.1 | Other |
| Stars | 9.6k | 5.5k |
| Latest | checkstyle-14.3.0 | pmd_releases/7.28.0 |
| Last push | 2026-10-19 | 2026-10-18 |
| Release cadence | about 7 days between releases | about 31 days between releases |
| Active contributors | 70+ commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days | 36 commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days |
| Flags | none | none |
How they relate
Both replace SonarQube Community Build. Alternatives to SonarQube Community Build →
PartialCheckstyleJava style and convention rules only, with no server, dashboard or history.
PartialPMDStatic analysis rules for Java and other languages, run as a CLI or build plugin without a server.
Checkstyle
- checkstyle-14.3.02026-09-27Checkstyle 14.3.0 -
- checkstyle-14.2.02026-09-27Checkstyle 14.2.0 -
- checkstyle-14.1.02026-08-30Checkstyle 14.1.0 -
- checkstyle-14.0.02026-08-18Checkstyle 14.0.0 -
- checkstyle-13.11.02026-08-16Checkstyle 13.11.0 -
PMD
- pmd_releases/7.29.0-SNAPSHOT2026-09-25PMD 7.29.0-SNAPSHOT (15-October-2026)pre-release
- pmd_releases/7.28.02026-09-25PMD 7.28.0 (25-September-2026)
- pmd_releases/7.27.02026-08-28PMD 7.27.0 (28-August-2026)
- pmd_releases/7.26.02026-06-29PMD 7.26.0 (29-June-2026)
- pmd_releases/7.25.02026-05-29PMD 7.25.0 (29-May-2026)
Checkstyle
unsigned The latest release, checkstyle-14.3.0, carries no signature GitHub could verify.
Loading the security report
PMD
✓ signed The latest release, pmd_releases/7.28.0, carries a signature GitHub verified.
Loading the security report