lint-staged

Open Source

Run linters and formatters only against staged files — fast pre-commit checks for any size codebase.

Visit website GitHub

Pricing

Free / Open source

Type

Automation

Languages

JavaScript

// VERDICT

Reach for lint-staged when you want pre-commit checks that are fast because they only touch staged files. Skip it when you don't use Git hooks, want full-repo checks each time, or have no linters to run.

Best for

Running linters/formatters only on staged files at commit time - keeping pre-commit hooks fast by checking just what changed, typically paired with Husky.

Avoid when

You don't use Git hooks, you want to check the whole repo every time, or you don't run linters/formatters.

CI/CD fit

Runs in the pre-commit hook (with Husky) · scoped to staged files

Languages

JavaScript

Team fit

Git-based teams · Teams wanting fast commit-time checks · QA shifting checks left

Setup

Easy

Maintenance

Low

Learning

Beginner

Licence

Free / Open source

// BEST FOR

Running linters/formatters only on staged files
Keeping pre-commit hooks fast
Pairing with Husky for the hook itself
Auto-fixing and re-staging changed files
Consistent commit-time quality on changed code
Avoiding slow whole-repo checks on every commit

// AVOID WHEN

You don't use Git hooks
You want to check the entire repo each time
You don't run linters/formatters
Client-side hooks are discouraged
CI-only gating is your model
Minimal tooling is the goal

// QUICK START

npm install -D lint-staged
// package.json: "lint-staged": { "*.{js,ts}": ["eslint --fix", "prettier --write"] }
// call from .husky/pre-commit: npx lint-staged

// ALTERNATIVES TO CONSIDER

Tool	Choose it when
Husky	You need the Git-hook manager that runs lint-staged.
ESLint	You want the linter lint-staged runs on changed files.
Prettier	You want the formatter lint-staged runs on changed files.