Say it like this
- Run linting on your code before pushing
- The linting failed because of formatting issues
- We need stricter linting rules for this project
Use it at work
Code review
- The linter is failing. Can you fix the warnings?
- Let's add a linting rule for unused imports.
Setup
- Run lint before you push.
- Linting runs automatically in CI.
Team rules
- Let's agree on linting rules for the new repo.
- Disable this lint rule only with a comment explaining why.
Don't say this
Linting finds style and syntax problems, not whether code actually functions. Testing does that.
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. Your teammate asks if the code is ready to merge. What do you say?
2. Our CI pipeline automatically runs _______ on every pull request to catch style violations early.
3. Which sentence uses 'linting' incorrectly?
4. Rewrite this using 'linting' in natural tech English: 'We should check the code for style issues and common mistakes before we send it to the team.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"Run linting on your code before pushing"
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More about linting
Real examples(3)
- in a standup
"I finished the feature yesterday, but linting caught several unused imports that I need to clean up."
- in a code review
"The linting errors need to be fixed before this PR can be merged into main."
- in a team meeting
"We should configure linting in our CI pipeline so that code quality checks happen automatically."
More mistakes(2)
Handle with care. Linting is a noun; do not confuse it with testing or formatting. It checks for code style issues and potential errors, not functionality.
- ✕The linting formatted all our code.✓The formatter reformatted our code; linting just reported the issues.
Linting reports problems; formatting tools fix them. They are separate processes.
- ✕We are linting the application.✓We're running linting on the code.
You lint code or files, not entire applications. The verb form is less common than the noun.
Other forms(3)
- linting noun
"Linting is part of our development workflow."
- linter noun
"Our linter flags any variable that is declared but never used."
- lint verb
"Please lint your code before submitting the pull request."
Often used with(6)
- run linting · Execute the linting process on your code
- linting rules · The specific guidelines a linter enforces
- linting errors · Issues or violations detected by the linter
- configure linting · Set up or customize linting for a project
- linting tool · Software that performs linting (e.g., ESLint)
- CI linting · Running linting automatically in continuous integration
Similar words(3)
- code analysis · Broader term that includes linting but also covers other analysis methods
- static analysis · More formal term for analyzing code without running it; linting is a type of static analysis
- code quality check · General term for any process that checks code quality; linting is more specific
Opposites(2)
- runtime testing
- dynamic analysis
Questions(5)
- What does linting mean in software engineering?
- Linting is an automated process that scans your source code to find and report potential bugs, style violations, and code quality issues before the code runs. A linter is a tool that performs this analysis without executing the code. It catches problems like unused variables, syntax errors, and inconsistent formatting early in development.
- How do you use linting in a sentence at work?
- You can say things like: 'Run linting before pushing your code,' 'The linting found three warnings,' or 'We should enable linting in our build pipeline.' The most common usage is 'run linting on your code' or 'linting errors.'
- Is linting formal or informal?
- Linting is neutral and professional. It is used in both formal documentation and casual team conversations. You will hear it in standup meetings, code reviews, documentation, and job interviews equally.
- What is the difference between linting and formatting?
- Linting reports style and potential quality issues but does not change your code. Formatting (or auto-formatting) automatically fixes those issues. Many teams use both: linting identifies problems, and formatters like Prettier or Black fix them automatically.
- What are common linting tools?
- Popular linting tools include ESLint (JavaScript), Pylint (Python), Checkstyle (Java), RuboCop (Ruby), and golangci-lint (Go). Most modern IDEs also have built-in linting support or plugins.
