---
id: cpplint
version: "2.0.2"
license: BSD-3-Clause
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# cpplint — Check C++ files configurably against Google's style guide

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 624.1K/mo

## What it is and what it does

Cpplint is a Python-based linter that enforces Google's C++ style guide on source files. It originated as Google's internal tool but has been maintained as a community fork since Google stopped updating the public version. The tool runs as a command-line utility and can be integrated into pre-commit hooks or CI pipelines to catch style violations early.

The fork modernizes the original tool with Python 3 compatibility, recursive file discovery, customizable file extensions, JUnit XML output, and support for modern C++ features like `#pragma once`. It has no runtime dependencies and installs cleanly on Python 3.9 through 3.13, making it lightweight to add to development workflows.

Use it for:

- Enforce consistent C++ code style across a team or project by running cpplint in CI/CD pipelines to reject non-compliant pull requests.
- Integrate cpplint as a pre-commit hook to catch style violations before code is committed, reducing review friction.
- Scan large codebases recursively with custom file extensions to identify style issues across multiple directories and file types.
- Generate JUnit XML reports from cpplint output for integration with test dashboards and quality gates in build systems.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Cpplint is a command-line static code checker that scans C/C++ files for style violations against Google's C++ style guide, with support for recursive file discovery, custom file extensions, and multiple output formats.

Yes. Cpplint is actively maintained, has no dependencies, installs easily, and is well-suited for teams adopting Google's C++ style guide. The permissive BSD license and broad Python version support (3.9–3.13) make it a low-risk addition to development workflows. Install via pipx to keep it isolated from project dependencies.

## Install

pip install cpplint
uv add cpplint
poetry add cpplint

## Installing cpplint

Before you install: Low install friction with no runtime dependencies. Actively maintained with recent commits and a stable release cadence; supports Python 3.9 through 3.13.

License in practice: BSD-3-Clause is permissive and poses no restrictions on commercial or private use; you can use and modify cpplint freely.

Quickstart:

pipx install cpplint

cpplint myfile.cpp

# Or as a pre-commit hook in .pre-commit-config.yaml:
# - repo: https://github.com/cpplint/cpplint
#   rev: 2.0.0
#   hooks:
#     - id: cpplint

Requires Python 3.9 or later; typically installed via pipx rather than pip to avoid polluting the project environment.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the fork's feature additions (recursive discovery, custom extensions, JUnit output) are stable and well-tested in production workflows.
- How actively the current maintainers (@aaronliu0130, @jayvdb) respond to issues and pull requests relative to the original Google version.

## Package facts

- License: BSD-3-Clause (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 624.1K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

C++ style checker, static code analysis C++, Google C++ style linter, C++ lint tool, code quality checker C++, style guide enforcement, c++-linting, style-enforcement, pre-commit-hook

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