Head-to-head · Code Clone Detection Tools
art-dupl vs NiCad
art-dupl leads on 0 checks, NiCad on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreart-dupl · 9.2/10
- Free planonly NiCad
- Most featuresart-dupl · 2 of 3
art-dupl scores higher on our rubric for code clone detection tools: 9.2 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #4.
On clone detection method, NiCad gives you Hybrid where art-dupl offers Ast.
art-dupl is the better fit for go teams needing deep CI clone analysis. NiCad is the better fit for research-grade configurable clone detection.
- art-dupl fits best
Go teams needing deep CI clone analysis
- NiCad fits best
Research-grade configurable clone detection
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Side by side
| Feature | art-dupl 9.2/10 Visit ↗ | NiCad 8.8/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.2 | 8.8 |
| Ranking | #2 in Code Clone Detection Tools | #4 in Code Clone Detection Tools |
| Best for | Go teams needing deep CI clone analysis | Research-grade configurable clone detection |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Open source | Free plan |
| Free plan | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Self-hosted | Self-hosted |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Solo, Small business, Mid-market |
| Features art-dupl 2/3 · NiCad 1/3 | ||
| CI integration | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| IDE integration | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Self-hosted option | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Clone detection method | Ast | Hybrid |
| Scan scope | Repository | Repository |
| Supported languages | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | art-dupl is an open-source command-line tool for detecting duplicated code in Go and Templ projects. It analyzes repositories through AST-based structural detection and supports semantic, exact, structural, suffix-tree, and hash-based… Read the review → |
NiCad is a free, open-source command-line tool for detecting exact and near-miss code clones in software systems. It is aimed at researchers, engineering teams, and developers who need configurable repository analysis rather than a hosted… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
art-dupl — where it wins
- AST-based semantic, exact, and structural clone detection
- Generated-code filtering, baselines, and CI checks
- GitHub integrations plus a programmatic Go SDK
Where it doesn't
- Source analysis is focused on Go and Templ projects
- Self-hosted operation puts environment management on the team
- CLI and SDK workflows may be more than small projects need
NiCad — where it wins
- Detects exact and near-miss clones across repositories
- Supports configurable normalization, abstraction, filtering, and thresholds
- Produces clone-pair and clone-class reports in XML and HTML
Where it doesn't
- Command-line workflow may require Unix-like environments
- Language availability varies by version and distribution
- Self-hosted operation requires local setup and maintenance
- art-dupl9.2/10 · Open source
A focused, self-hosted clone analyzer for Go teams building duplication checks into CI.
Visit art-duplFull verdict → - NiCad8.8/10 · Free plan
A configurable, self-hosted choice for exact and near-miss clone analysis.
Visit NiCadFull verdict →
More comparisons
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- art-dupl vs @kongyo2/similarity-ts
- art-dupl vs QuickDup
- art-dupl vs semdup
- PMD vs NiCad
All code clone detection tools comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update

