What is syntastic?

vim-syntastic/syntastic — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-06-24

★ 11,223Vim scriptAudience · developerComplexity · 3/5Setup · moderate

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Checks code for errors
      Shows inline markers
      Error list panel
    How it works
      Runs external tools
      Collects results
      Displays in Vim
    Languages
      Python JS Ruby Go
      C C++ PHP Rust
      100 plus supported
    Status
      Not maintained
      Migrate to ALE
      Vim plugin only

mindmap root((repo)) What it does Checks code for errors Shows inline markers Error list panel How it works Runs external tools Collects results Displays in Vim Languages Python JS Ruby Go C C++ PHP Rust 100 plus supported Status Not maintained Migrate to ALE Vim plugin only

Click or tap to explore — scroll the page freely

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

See Python, JavaScript, Ruby, or Go errors highlighted inside Vim as you type without leaving the editor.

USE CASE 2

Display a bottom-panel error list and left-margin markers for any of the 100-plus supported languages.

USE CASE 3

Evaluate Syntastic as a historical reference before migrating to the maintained ALE plugin.

What is it built with?

Vim script

How does it compare?

	vim-syntastic/syntastic	altercation/solarized	mhinz/vim-galore
Stars	11,223	15,982	17,839
Language	Vim script	Vim script	Vim script
Setup difficulty	moderate	easy	easy
Complexity	3/5	1/5	1/5
Audience	developer	developer	developer

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

Requires installing external checker tools separately for each language, such as eslint for JavaScript or flake8 for Python.

So what is it?

Syntastic is a plugin for Vim, a text editor popular among developers, that checks your code for errors while you work. Instead of waiting until you try to run or compile a file, Syntastic runs the appropriate checking tool in the background and shows you any problems it finds directly inside the editor. When an error is present, Syntastic can display it in several ways at once: a list of errors appears in a panel at the bottom of the window, a marker shows up in the left margin next to the problematic line, the error message appears at the bottom of the screen when your cursor lands on that line, and the erroneous text can be highlighted inline. You configure which of these visual cues you want active. The plugin supports a very wide range of programming languages and file formats. The README lists over 100 supported languages including Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Go, C, C++, PHP, Rust, TypeScript, HTML, CSS, YAML, and many others. For each language it delegates the actual checking to an external tool that must be installed on your machine separately. Syntastic itself just runs that tool and collects the results. Important context: the README prominently notes that this project is no longer maintained. The authors recommend switching to ALE, a newer plugin that covers similar functionality and takes a different architectural approach. Syntastic still works for many users who prefer to keep it, but no new development is happening here. Installation follows the standard Vim plugin workflow using a plugin manager of your choice. The README includes basic setup instructions and recommended starting settings for new users.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1

I want to set up Syntastic in Vim for Python and JavaScript. Show me the vimrc configuration including the recommended starter settings from the README.

Prompt 2

Syntastic is showing errors I don't expect in my Go files. How do I configure which external checker it uses and how do I see what checker is active?

Prompt 3

I'm migrating from Syntastic to ALE. What are the key differences in how each plugin works and what settings do I need to change?

Frequently asked questions