---
id: flake8-json
version: "24.4.0"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# flake8-json — JSON Formatting Reporter plugin for Flake8

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 75.1K/mo

## What it is and what it does

Flake8-JSON is a Flake8 plugin that converts linting output into machine-readable JSON format instead of the default text report. It offers three output modes: compact JSON, pretty-printed JSON, and CodeClimate-compatible format. The plugin has no runtime dependencies and integrates directly into Flake8's formatter system via command-line flags. It's useful when you need to parse linting results programmatically—for CI/CD pipelines, dashboards, or integration with other tools—rather than reading human-friendly text output.

The package is classified as production-stable and supports Python 3.6 and later. It has been maintained since 2017 and receives occasional updates. The repository is active but the maintainers are explicitly seeking additional contributors, which may indicate resource constraints rather than abandonment.

Use it for:

- Parse Flake8 violations in CI/CD pipelines to fail builds or report metrics based on structured data.
- Feed linting results into dashboards or monitoring systems that consume JSON.
- Integrate Flake8 output with CodeClimate or similar code-quality platforms.
- Programmatically analyze and aggregate linting violations across multiple files or projects.

## Worth the install?

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

A Flake8 plugin that formats linting output as JSON, with options for pretty-printed or CodeClimate-compatible formats.

Yes, if you need JSON-formatted Flake8 output for automation or tooling integration. The plugin is stable, has no dependencies, and installs easily. The caveat: the project is seeking maintainers, so long-term support is uncertain; if you depend on active development or rapid bug fixes, verify the maintainer situation first.

## Install

pip install flake8-json
uv add flake8-json
poetry add flake8-json

## Installing flake8-json

Before you install: Low friction: pure Python wheel with no runtime dependencies. Last commit was recent (2026-07-13) and repo is active, though the project is explicitly seeking maintainers.

License in practice: MIT license is permissive and imposes no restrictions on use or distribution in proprietary or open-source projects.

Quickstart:

pip install flake8-json
flake8 --format=json path/to/code.py
# or for pretty-printed output:
flake8 --format=json-pretty path/to/code.py

Verify before relying:

- Whether CodeClimate format support (added in v20.12.0) is fully maintained or has known compatibility issues with current CodeClimate versions.
- Whether the project's active search for maintainers signals ongoing stability concerns or is routine maintenance rotation.

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 75.1K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

flake8 json output formatter, flake8 plugin json reporting, json linting results, codeclimate format flake8, structured flake8 output, flake8 machine-readable format, flake8-plugin, json-formatter, ci-cd

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/flake8-json) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/flake8-json/)