ruff vs Black

Side-by-side — pricing, strengths, tradeoffs, and fit.

ruff

An extremely fast Python linter and code formatter.

Black

The uncompromising Python code formatter.

At a glance

Open SourceFree Tier
● Established·From $0
Open SourceFree Tier
● Established·From $0

Overview

One-liner

An extremely fast Python linter and code formatter.

One-liner

The uncompromising Python code formatter.

Maturity

Established

Maturity

Established

Open source

✓ Yes

Open source

✓ Yes

Pricing

Free tier

✓ Available

Open source — free to use

Free tier

✓ Available

Open source — free to use

Starts at

$0

Starts at

$0

Model

Flat rate

Model

Flat rate

Enterprise

✕ None

Enterprise

✕ None

Best for

✓ Best for

Teams needing fast and efficient linting and formatting in Python projects
Developers working on large codebases where speed is critical
Projects requiring strict adherence to coding standards

✓ Best for

Teams working on large-scale Python projects who need strict adherence to PEP 8.
Developers looking for a no-frills, automated code formatter that enforces consistency.

Not ideal for

✕ Not for

Non-Python projects that require language-specific linting or formatting tools
Scenarios where a cloud-based solution with additional features beyond linting and formatting is required

✕ Not for

Projects requiring custom formatting rules not supported by Black.
Developers preferring more flexible or customizable formatters.

Strengths

↑ Strengths

Extremely fast linting and formatting
Highly configurable ruleset
Supports both linting and code formatting in one tool

↑ Strengths

Automatically formats Python code to PEP 8 standards.
Uncompromising style that enforces a single way of formatting.
Highly configurable with options for line length and string quotes.

Weaknesses

↓ Weaknesses

Limited integrations with non-Python ecosystems
Complex setup for CI/CD pipelines
Performance degradation with large codebases

↓ Weaknesses

Limited customization options despite being highly configurable
Potential conflicts with existing code styles or linters
Performance overhead for large codebases
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