simple_lint review
A free, focused supplement for enforcing consistent Dart package imports.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
simple_lint is an open-source Dart package for Flutter projects that extends flutter_lints with rules for consistent import paths. It is aimed at teams that want to reduce bugs caused by importing the same file through different paths, without adopting a broad static-analysis suite. The ruleset is particularly relevant to projects standardizing package imports across a shared codebase.
The published package configuration is free: simple_lint is added as a development dependency and enabled through analysis_options.yaml. Setup therefore takes place inside the project’s existing Dart analysis configuration rather than through a separate hosted dashboard. Its configuration also excludes the build directory from analysis, keeping generated build output outside the linting scope. The core rules include always_use_package_imports for enforcing package imports and prefer_relative_imports for disabling relative imports.
Its main strength is a focused import-style policy layered on top of flutter_lints. That narrow design can make the package useful as a small, explicit addition when import consistency is the main concern. However, simple_lint is not presented as a comprehensive analyzer, and its feature set does not extend beyond the stated lint rules and configuration behavior. The package also states that it has no official support and is not developed or endorsed by Google. Choose it when a free, lightweight ruleset meets the project’s needs; choose a broader static-analysis option when you need wider rule coverage or a larger tooling ecosystem.
simple_lint pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Adds package-import conventions to flutter_lints
- Configures directly through analysis_options.yaml
- Free, open-source Dart package for Flutter projects
- Where it doesn't
- Narrow scope centered on import-style rules
- No official support or Google endorsement
- Distributed as a package, not a hosted analysis service
simple_lint fact sheet, pricing and score →
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