# textlint

> textlint is a pluggable linter for natural language (v15.8.0, August 2026), MIT-licensed and run with Node.js 20+. It ships with no rules: you add rule packages from npm for things like terminology, sentence length or spelling, and it checks Markdown and plain text out of the box (HTML and others via plugins). Language support depends on the rules you pick; its rule ecosystem is especially strong for Japanese. No built-in grammar engine, AI rewriting, tone changes or plagiarism checks.

- Repository: https://github.com/textlint/textlint
- Official docs: https://textlint.org/docs/
- Checked: 2026-10-16

## What it replaces
- Grammarly: Style and clarity suggestions (partial). Configurable rule-based style checks for docs in CI or editors; no built-in rules, grammar engine or AI rewrite.

## Facts, with sources

| Question | Status | Answer | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runs on my machine? | Confirmed | Yes, Node.js command-line tool | https://github.com/textlint/textlint#installation | 2026-10-15 |
| Code licence | Confirmed | MIT | https://github.com/textlint/textlint/blob/master/LICENSE | 2026-10-15 |
| Model weights licence | Confirmed | No separate model weights | https://github.com/textlint/textlint#readme | 2026-10-15 |
| Commercial use | Confirmed | Yes, MIT (check each rule package's own licence) | https://github.com/textlint/textlint/blob/master/LICENSE | 2026-10-15 |
| Paid services needed? | Confirmed | None required | https://github.com/textlint/textlint#readme | 2026-10-15 |
| Hardware | Confirmed | Node.js 20 or later; no other requirements documented | https://github.com/textlint/textlint#installation | 2026-10-15 |
| Operating systems | Unknown | README and usage documentation describe a Node.js CLI/library, not an operating-system matrix. Older release instructions listing OSes concern the separate Semgrep migration tool, not textlint itself | https://github.com/textlint/textlint#readme | 2026-10-16 |
| Setup effort | Confirmed | Easy, npm install textlint plus the rule packages you want | https://github.com/textlint/textlint#usage | 2026-10-15 |

GitHub: 3201 stars, 172 forks, last push 2026-10-16, archived: no.
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Source: RepoQuarry (https://repoquarry.dev/projects/textlint). Data licence: CC BY 4.0. Quotes are from project documentation and belong to their authors.