depmedic / compare / ci-doctor vs super-linter

ci-doctor vs super-linter

super-linter is a meta-runner that bundles 50+ language linters into a single GitHub Action. ci-doctor is a focused audit of your .github/workflows/*.yml files for cost and reliability smells. Different problems.

tl;dr   If you want to lint application code in many languages: super-linter. If you want to find cost and reliability smells in your workflows: ci-doctor. They solve different problems and can run side by side.

Where super-linter wins

  • Lints code in 50+ languages from one Action. If you maintain a polyglot repo, this is the path of least resistance.
  • Officially backed by GitHub, well-known to onboarding teams.
  • Includes actionlint internally for workflow correctness.
  • Single GitHub Action invocation; no per-language config required out of the box.

Where ci-doctor wins

  • Audits the workflows themselves, not the code in your repo. super-linter's embedded actionlint catches syntax in workflows, but does not flag missing concurrency, missing timeout-minutes, stale cache keys, or matrix overcommit.
  • Fast: ci-doctor runs in ~6 ms on a typical repo. super-linter is a heavyweight container that takes 30-90 seconds to spin up.
  • CLI-first: usable on a developer machine with npx ci-doctor as you edit, not just in CI.
  • Auto-fix mode applies four safe fixes in place.
  • Cost-aware: pairs with gha-budget for $-denominated per-workflow numbers.

Where they overlap

super-linter ships actionlint internally, so it overlaps with ci-doctor on the same ~2 checks actionlint does. Beyond that, super-linter is about your application code; ci-doctor is about your workflow YAML.

Run them side by side

This is the answer for most teams. Both finish in seconds:

# code linting
uses: super-linter/super-linter@v6
# workflow audit
uses: depmedicdev-byte/ci-doctor@v1

Try ci-doctor in 6 ms

Zero install, zero config:

# 14-rule audit of every workflow under .github/workflows/
npx ci-doctor

# auto-apply the four safe fixes
npx ci-doctor --fix

# SARIF for GitHub Code Scanning
npx ci-doctor --sarif > results.sarif
View on npm   All 14 rules explained

Want the long-form patterns?

The Cut Your CI Bill cookbook is 30 paste-ready GitHub Actions patterns plus 5 hardened workflow templates - the why behind every default ci-doctor enforces. $19, one-time, MIT-licensed templates.

Get the cookbook   5 free preview patterns

About this comparison

Written 2026-04-27 by the maintainer of ci-doctor. super-linter on GitHub for upstream documentation. If anything here is incorrect or outdated, open an issue at depmedicdev-byte/ci-doctor/issues and I will fix it. We do not pay for placement and we do not accept paid placement.

Other comparisons: vs actionlint · vs MegaLinter · vs octoscan