compare
Checkstyle vs SpotBugs
The same facts for both, read from GitHub every night, and the relation a person reviewed.
| Fact | Checkstyle | SpotBugs |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Java | Java |
| Licence | LGPL-2.1 | LGPL-2.1 |
| Stars | 9.6k | 4k |
| Latest | checkstyle-14.3.0 | 4.10.5 |
| Last push | 2026-10-19 | 2026-10-18 |
| Release cadence | about 7 days between releases | about 36 days between releases |
| Active contributors | 70+ commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days | 27 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.
PartialSpotBugsBytecode analysis for Java bugs, 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 -
Checkstyle
unsigned The latest release, checkstyle-14.3.0, carries no signature GitHub could verify.
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SpotBugs
✓ signed The latest release, 4.10.5, carries a signature GitHub verified.
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