NAME
pylint - python code static checker
SYNOPSIS
pylint [ OPTIONS ] [ <arguments> ]
DESCRIPTION
pylint is a Python source code analyzer which looks for programming
errors, helps enforcing a coding standard and sniffs for some code
smells (as defined in Martin Fowler’s Refactoring book)
Pylint can be seen as another PyChecker since nearly all tests you can
do with PyChecker can also be done with Pylint. However, Pylint offers
some more features, like checking length of lines of code, checking if
variable names are well-formed according to your coding standard, or
checking if declared interfaces are truly implemented, and much more.
Additionally, it is possible to write plugins to add your own checks.
OPTIONS
--version
show program’s version number and exit
--help, -h
show this help message and exit
--long-help
more verbose help.
MASTER
--rcfile=<file>
Specify a configuration file.
--init-hook=<code>
Python code to execute, usually for sys.path manipulation such
as pygtk.require().
--errors-only, -E
In error mode, checkers without error messages are disabled and
for others, only the ERROR messages are displayed, and no
reports are done by default
--ignore=<file>
Add <file or directory> to the black list. It should be a base
name, not a path. You may set this option multiple times.
[current: CVS]
--persistent=<y_or_n>
Pickle collected data for later comparisons. [current: yes]
--load-plugins=<modules>
List of plugins (as comma separated values of python modules
names) to load, usually to register additional checkers.
[current: none]
COMMANDS
--help-msg=<msg-id>
Display a help message for the given message id and exit. The
value may be a comma separated list of message ids.
--list-msgs
Generate pylint’s messages.
--full-documentation
Generate pylint’s full documentation.
--generate-rcfile
Generate a sample configuration file according to the current
configuration. You can put other options before this one to get
them in the generated configuration.
MESSAGES CONTROL
--enable=<msg ids>, -e <msg ids>
Enable the message, report, category or checker with the given
id(s). You can either give multiple identifier separated by
comma (,) or put this option multiple time.
--disable=<msg ids>, -d <msg ids>
Disable the message, report, category or checker with the given
id(s). You can either give multiple identifier separated by
comma (,) or put this option multiple time.
REPORTS
--output-format=<format>, -f <format>
Set the output format. Available formats are text,
parseable, colorized, msvs (visual studio) and html [current:
text]
--include-ids=<y_or_n>, -i <y_or_n>
Include message’s id in output [current: no]
--files-output=<y_or_n>
Put messages in a separate file for each module / package
specified on the command line instead of printing them on
stdout. Reports (if any) will be written in a file name
"pylint_global.[txt|html]". [current: no]
--reports=<y_or_n>, -r <y_or_n>
Tells whether to display a full report or only the messages
[current: yes]
--evaluation=<python_expression>
Python expression which should return a note less than 10 (10 is
the highest note). You have access to the variables errors
warning, statement which respectively contain the number of
errors / warnings messages and the total number of statements
analyzed. This is used by the global evaluation report (R0004).
[current: 10.0 - ((float(5 * error + warning + refactor +
convention) / statement) * 10)]
--comment=<y_or_n>
Add a comment according to your evaluation note. This is used by
the global evaluation report (R0004). [current: no]
BASIC
--required-attributes=<attributes>
Required attributes for module, separated by a comma [current:
none]
--bad-functions=<builtin function names>
List of builtins function names that should not be used,
separated by a comma [current: map,filter,apply,input]
--module-rgx=<regexp>
Regular expression which should only match correct module names
[current: (([a-z_][a-z0-9_]*)|([A-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]+))$]
--const-rgx=<regexp>
Regular expression which should only match correct module level
names [current: (([A-Z_][A-Z0-9_]*)|(__.*__))$]
--class-rgx=<regexp>
Regular expression which should only match correct class names
[current: [A-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9]+$]
--function-rgx=<regexp>
Regular expression which should only match correct function
names [current: [a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$]
--method-rgx=<regexp>
Regular expression which should only match correct method names
[current: [a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$]
--attr-rgx=<regexp>
Regular expression which should only match correct instance
attribute names [current: [a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$]
--argument-rgx=<regexp>
Regular expression which should only match correct argument
names [current: [a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$]
--variable-rgx=<regexp>
Regular expression which should only match correct variable
names [current: [a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$]
--inlinevar-rgx=<regexp>
Regular expression which should only match correct list
comprehension / generator expression variable
names [current: [A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*$]
--good-names=<names>
Good variable names which should always be accepted, separated
by a comma [current: i,j,k,ex,Run,_]
--bad-names=<names>
Bad variable names which should always be refused, separated by
a comma [current: foo,bar,baz,toto,tutu,tata]
--no-docstring-rgx=<regexp>
Regular expression which should only match functions or classes
name which do not require a docstring [current: __.*__]
MISCELLANEOUS
--notes=<comma separated values>
List of note tags to take in consideration, separated by a
comma. [current: FIXME,XXX,TODO]
SIMILARITIES
--min-similarity-lines=<int>
Minimum lines number of a similarity. [current: 4]
--ignore-comments=<y or n>
Ignore comments when computing similarities. [current: yes]
--ignore-docstrings=<y or n>
Ignore docstrings when computing similarities. [current: yes]
IMPORTS
--deprecated-modules=<modules>
Deprecated modules which should not be used, separated by a
comma [current: regsub,string,TERMIOS,Bastion,rexec]
--import-graph=<file.dot>
Create a graph of every (i.e. internal and external)
dependencies in the given file (report RP0402 must not be
disabled) [current: none]
--ext-import-graph=<file.dot>
Create a graph of external dependencies in the given file
(report RP0402 must not be disabled) [current: none]
--int-import-graph=<file.dot>
Create a graph of internal dependencies in the given file
(report RP0402 must not be disabled) [current: none]
TYPECHECK
--ignore-mixin-members=<y_or_n>
Tells whether missing members accessed in mixin class should be
ignored. A mixin class is detected if its name ends with "mixin"
(case insensitive). [current: yes]
--ignored-classes=<members names>
List of classes names for which member attributes should not be
checked (useful for classes with attributes dynamically set).
[current: SQLObject]
--zope=<y_or_n>
When zope mode is activated, add a predefined set of Zope
acquired attributes to generated-members. [current: no]
--generated-members=<members names>
List of members which are set dynamically and missed by pylint
inference system, and so shouldn’t trigger E0201 when accessed.
[current: REQUEST,acl_users,aq_parent]
CLASSES
--ignore-iface-methods=<method names>
List of interface methods to ignore, separated by a comma. This
is used for instance to not check methods defines in Zope’s
Interface base class. [current:
isImplementedBy,deferred,extends,names,namesAndDescriptions,queryDescriptionFor,getBases,getDescriptionFor,getDoc,getName,getTaggedValue,getTaggedValueTags,isEqualOrExtendedBy,setTaggedValue,isImplementedByInstancesOf,adaptWith,is_implemented_by]
--defining-attr-methods=<method names>
List of method names used to declare (i.e. assign) instance
attributes. [current: __init__,__new__,setUp]
DESIGN
--max-args=<int>
Maximum number of arguments for function / method [current: 5]
--ignored-argument-names=<regexp>
Argument names that match this expression will be ignored.
Default to name with leading underscore [current: _.*]
--max-locals=<int>
Maximum number of locals for function / method body [current:
15]
--max-returns=<int>
Maximum number of return / yield for function / method body
[current: 6]
--max-branchs=<int>
Maximum number of branch for function / method body [current:
12]
--max-statements=<int>
Maximum number of statements in function / method body [current:
50]
--max-parents=<num>
Maximum number of parents for a class (see R0901). [current: 7]
--max-attributes=<num>
Maximum number of attributes for a class (see R0902). [current:
7]
--min-public-methods=<num>
Minimum number of public methods for a class (see R0903).
[current: 2]
--max-public-methods=<num>
Maximum number of public methods for a class (see R0904).
[current: 20]
VARIABLES
--init-import=<y_or_n>
Tells whether we should check for unused import in __init__
files. [current: no]
--dummy-variables-rgx=<regexp>
A regular expression matching names used for dummy variables
(i.e. not used). [current: _|dummy]
--additional-builtins=<comma separated list>
List of additional names supposed to be defined in builtins.
Remember that you should avoid to define new builtins when
possible. [current: none]
FORMAT
--max-line-length=<int>
Maximum number of characters on a single line. [current: 80]
--max-module-lines=<int>
Maximum number of lines in a module [current: 1000]
--indent-string=<string>
String used as indentation unit. This is usually " " (4
spaces) or "" (1 tab). [current: ’ ’]
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
The following environment variables are used :
* PYLINTHOME
path to the directory where data of persistent run will be stored.
If not found, it defaults to ~/.pylint.d/ or .pylint.d (in the current
working directory).
* PYLINTRC
path to the configuration file. If not found, it will use the first
existent file in ~/.pylintrc, /etc/pylintrc.
OUTPUT
Using the default text output, the message format is :
MESSAGE_TYPE: LINE_NUM:[OBJECT:] MESSAGE
There are 5 kind of message types :
* (C) convention, for programming standard violation
* (R) refactor, for bad code smell
* (W) warning, for python specific problems
* (E) error, for probable bugs in the code
* (F) fatal, if an error occurred which prevented pylint from doing
further processing.
OUTPUT STATUS CODE
Pylint should leave with following status code:
* 0 if everything went fine
* 1 if a fatal message was issued
* 2 if an error message was issued
* 4 if a warning message was issued
* 8 if a refactor message was issued
* 16 if a convention message was issued
* 32 on usage error
status 1 to 16 will be bit-ORed so you can know which different
categories has been issued by analysing pylint output status code
SEE ALSO
/usr/share/doc/pythonX.Y-pylint/
COPYRIGHT
Logilab S.A.
BUGS
Please report bugs on the project’s mailing list: mailto://python-
projects@lists.logilab.org
AUTHOR
Logilab <python-projects@lists.logilab.org>