Credo
Credo: A focused, free Elixir linter for style, complexity, refactoring, and custom checks. Ranked #7 of 33 in Linters by our editors (8.5/10); pricing: Free plan; best for elixir teams checking style and complexity.
At a glance
- Editor score8.5 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forElixir teams checking style and complexity
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- CI supportYes
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Covers mistakes, style, refactoring, and complexity findings
- Supports strict mode, explanations, JSON, and SARIF output
- Offers custom checks, plugins, and broad editor integrations
Where it doesn't
- Supports Elixir rather than multiple programming languages
- Installation and use center on Mix and the command line
- Teams may need another tool for broader language coverage
Our verdict on Credo
Credo is an open-source static code analysis tool for Elixir projects. It is aimed at developers and teams that want consistent style, maintainable code, and earlier feedback on common mistakes. Its checks cover naming, coding style, refactoring opportunities, complex code fragments, and other patterns that can make Elixir code harder to maintain. Developers install Credo as a Mix dependency and run it from the command line, making it a focused fit for Elixir codebases rather than a general-purpose linter across several languages.
The feature set goes beyond basic style warnings. Credo includes strict analysis mode, explanations for issues with configuration guidance, and output in JSON and SARIF formats. Custom checks and plugins allow teams to extend its analysis for project-specific conventions. These capabilities make Credo suitable for teams that want to tune linting rules or connect findings with development and CI workflows. Its free, open-source model also makes it practical when teams want static analysis without a paid tier structure.
Credo fits well into an Elixir-centered toolchain through Mix and integrations for IntelliJ Elixir, Atom, Visual Studio Code, Emacs Flycheck, Kakoune, and Neovim. The result is a narrow but coherent product: strong coverage for Elixir style, complexity, refactoring, and maintainability concerns, with support for both editors and automated workflows. Choose Credo when Elixir is the main language and configurable analysis matters. Teams maintaining several programming languages, or looking for one linter across a mixed-language portfolio, should pair it with or consider a broader tool.
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Credo pricing
Credo fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Languages supported | 1 |
| Autofix | Not verified |
| Custom rules | Yes |
| Security rules | Yes |
| IDE support | Ide |
| CI support | Yes |
| Deployment | Self-hosted |
| Support | Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 7 integrations: IntelliJ Elixir, Visual Studio Code, Atom, Emacs Flycheck, Kakoune, Neovim … |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | credo.hexdocs.pm |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
Credo integrations
Credo lists 7 integrations on its own site.
- IntelliJ Elixir
- Visual Studio Code
- Atom
- Emacs Flycheck
- Kakoune
- Neovim
- Codacy
Alternatives to Credo
- ESLintA free, extensible JavaScript linter with autofix, plugins, and broad developer-tool integrations.9.4
- RuffFree Python linting and formatting with more than 900 built-in rules.9.2
- ShellCheckA free, open-source linter for shell syntax, portability, robustness and security checks.9.0
Credo vs the competition
Compare Credo with any tool side by side →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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