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Head-to-head · Code Formatting Tools

clang-format vs Black

  • Updated Sep 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score clang-format #4 in Code Formatting Tools 7.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit clang-format
Black #6 in Code Formatting Tools 6.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Black

clang-format leads on 1 check, Black on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreclang-format · 7.4/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresclang-format · 4 of 4

clang-format scores higher on our rubric for code formatting tools: 7.4 against 6.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #6.

clang-format offers library api; Black doesn't.

clang-format is the better fit for C and C++ projects. Black is the better fit for python formatting with stable conventions.

  • clang-format fits best

    C and C++ projects

  • Black fits best

    Python formatting with stable conventions

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. It never changes our verdict. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature clang-format 7.4/10 Visit ↗ Black 6.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 7.4 6.9
Ranking #4 in Code Formatting Tools #6 in Code Formatting Tools
Best for C and C++ projects Python formatting with stable conventions
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Not published Not published
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Self-hosted
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Docs Community, Docs
Integrations 7 integrations 12 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features clang-format 4/4 · Black 3/4
Editor integration ✓ ✓
Ignore files ✓ ✓
Changed-lines formatting ✓ ✓
Library API ✓ (best) —
Specs
Supported languages C, C++, Java, JavaScript, JSON, Objective-C, Protocol Buffers, C#, TableGen, TextProto, Verilog Python
Supported platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux, local HTTP API
License model Open_source Open_source
Our review
Pros
  • Predefined LLVM, GNU, Google, Chromium, Microsoft, Mozilla, and WebKit styles
  • Changed-line formatting, ignore files, patches, and unified-diff scripts
  • Integrations for Vim, Emacs, CLion, Visual Studio, VS Code, and Git
  • Opinionated PEP 8-compliant formatting for consistent Python style
  • Changed-line, check-only, diff, and ignore-rule support
  • Integrations across editors, GitHub Actions, pre-commit, and notebooks
Cons
  • Configuration can require project-specific .clang-format files and style decisions
  • Its command-line and editor integration model may be more technical than hosted tools
  • Formatting scope and behavior vary across its supported languages
  • Supports Python rather than multiple programming languages
  • Jupyter Notebook formatting requires an optional installation extra
  • No library API is listed in the published category specifications
Our verdict

clang-format is an open-source source-code formatter from the LLVM Project, built on Clang and LibFormat. It formats source files or standard input from the command line and supports C, C++, Java, JavaScript, JSON, Objective-C, Protocol…

Read the review →

Black is an open-source Python code formatter for developers and teams that want repeatable style decisions and smaller diffs during code review. It reformats Python files in place and can process files, directories, standard input, and…

Read the review →
  1. clang-formatCode Formatting Tools 7.4Free plan
  2. BlackCode Formatting Tools 6.9Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • clang-format — where it wins

    • Predefined LLVM, GNU, Google, Chromium, Microsoft, Mozilla, and WebKit styles
    • Changed-line formatting, ignore files, patches, and unified-diff scripts
    • Integrations for Vim, Emacs, CLion, Visual Studio, VS Code, and Git

    Where it doesn't

    • Configuration can require project-specific .clang-format files and style decisions
    • Its command-line and editor integration model may be more technical than hosted tools
    • Formatting scope and behavior vary across its supported languages

  • Black — where it wins

    • Opinionated PEP 8-compliant formatting for consistent Python style
    • Changed-line, check-only, diff, and ignore-rule support
    • Integrations across editors, GitHub Actions, pre-commit, and notebooks

    Where it doesn't

    • Supports Python rather than multiple programming languages
    • Jupyter Notebook formatting requires an optional installation extra
    • No library API is listed in the published category specifications

More comparisons

All code formatting tools comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026

Last updated · How we research and update