Linters are static analysis tools that examine source code without executing it, identifying bugs, style violations, security vulnerabilities, and code quality issues before runtime. Originally coined in 1978 for C programming, linting has evolved into a critical practice across all modern languages, enforcing team coding standards, catching errors early in development, and improving maintainability. Unlike formatters that only adjust whitespace and layout, linters analyze code semantics — detecting unused variables, type mismatches, deprecated patterns, and anti-patterns that compilers often miss. Understanding which linter fits your language, performance needs, and integration requirements is essential for maintaining high-quality codebases at scale.