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Head-to-head · Code Formatting Tools

Prettier vs clang-format

  • Updated Sep 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Prettier #2 in Code Formatting Tools 8.2/10 Open source ✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Prettier
clang-format #4 in Code Formatting Tools 7.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit clang-format

Prettier leads on 0 checks, clang-format on 2, and 3 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 scorePrettier · 8.2/10
  • Free planonly clang-format
  • Most featuresclang-format · 4 of 4

Prettier scores higher on our rubric for code formatting tools: 8.2 against 7.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #4.

clang-format offers free plan; Prettier doesn't publish it. clang-format offers changed-lines formatting; Prettier doesn't publish it.

Prettier is the better fit for web development teams. clang-format is the better fit for C and C++ projects.

  • Prettier fits best

    Web development teams

  • clang-format fits best

    C and C++ projects

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 Prettier 8.2/10 Visit ↗ clang-format 7.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.2 7.4
Ranking #2 in Code Formatting Tools #4 in Code Formatting Tools
Best for Web development teams C and C++ projects
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Not published Not published
Free plan Not published ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted Desktop
Platforms Web Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Docs Docs
Integrations 7 integrations 7 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Prettier 3/4 · clang-format 4/4
Editor integration ✓ ✓
Ignore files ✓ ✓
Changed-lines formatting Not published ✓ (best)
Library API ✓ ✓
Specs
Supported languages JavaScript, JSX, Angular, Vue, Flow, TypeScript, CSS, Less, SCSS, HTML, Ember/Handlebars, JSON, GraphQL, Markdown, GFM, MDX v1, YAML, LWC, MJML C, C++, Java, JavaScript, JSON, Objective-C, Protocol Buffers, C#, TableGen, TextProto, Verilog
Supported platforms Browser and JavaScript API Windows, macOS, Linux
License model Open_source Open_source
Our review
Pros
  • Covers JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, HTML, JSON, GraphQL, Markdown, and YAML
  • Works across major editors, command line, CI, pre-commit hooks, and JavaScript APIs
  • Supports ignore rules, formatting checks, and plugins for additional languages
  • 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
Cons
  • Self-hosted deployment requires teams to manage how it runs
  • Support is provided through documentation
  • Does not include AI features
  • 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
Our verdict

Prettier is an open-source code formatter for teams that want a consistent style across web-language source files. It parses and reprints supported files, including JavaScript, JSX, Angular, Vue, Flow, TypeScript, CSS, Less, SCSS, HTML,…

Read the review →

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 →
  1. PrettierCode Formatting Tools 8.2Open source
  2. clang-formatCode Formatting Tools 7.4Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Prettier — where it wins

    • Covers JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, HTML, JSON, GraphQL, Markdown, and YAML
    • Works across major editors, command line, CI, pre-commit hooks, and JavaScript APIs
    • Supports ignore rules, formatting checks, and plugins for additional languages

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted deployment requires teams to manage how it runs
    • Support is provided through documentation
    • Does not include AI features

  • 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

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