Updated October 15, 2026 · Maintained by huanglizhuo

OctoCounts vs cloc, scc, and tokei

OctoCounts is a free web service for counting source lines of code in public GitHub repositories, while cloc, tokei, and scc are command-line tools that count local checkouts, including private code. OctoCounts runs tokei on a downloaded source archive, pins the report to a commit SHA, and adds caching, shareable report URLs, README badges, and an API — no installation required.

OctoCounts is not a replacement for every SLOC workflow. This page explains how it differs from popular local line counters so you can choose the right tool for the job.

Quick comparison

Tool	Type	Best for	Install required	Private repos	Shareable URL / badge
OctoCounts	Web app + extensions + API	Quick public-repo reports, README badges, comparisons, sharing	No	No	Yes
cloc	Command-line (Perl)	Local analysis, CI scripts, widest language support	Yes	Yes	No
tokei	Command-line (Rust)	Fast local counting, large repositories	Yes	Yes	No
scc	Command-line (Go)	Local counting with complexity estimates and license detection	Yes	Yes	No

OctoCounts

OctoCounts is a free SLOC counter for public GitHub repositories. You paste a GitHub URL, optionally pick a branch, tag, or commit SHA, and OctoCounts downloads the source archive, runs tokei, and returns a cached, shareable report.

No install: works in a browser.
Archive download: no full git clone, so it is fast for a quick check.
Commit pinning: reports are tied to a specific commit SHA, making them reproducible and citable.
Sharing: stable report URLs, README badges, PNG cards, JSON export, and an API.
Integrations: browser extensions, CLI, GitHub Action, and MCP server.
Limitation: public GitHub repositories only.

cloc

cloc is a mature command-line tool written in Perl. It counts blank, comment, and code lines across hundreds of languages and is widely used in CI pipelines and audits.

Best for: local analysis, scripting, and environments where you can install Perl.
Strengths: extremely broad language support, battle-tested, easy to run in CI.
Trade-off: you need a local clone and must share output by hand.

tokei

tokei is a fast, Rust-based line counter. It is the same engine OctoCounts runs on the server. tokei is a great choice when you want speed and accuracy on a local machine.

Best for: fast local counting, especially on large repositories.
Strengths: Rust performance, clean output, 200+ languages.
Trade-off: requires a local clone and Rust toolchain or package manager install.

scc

scc is a Go-based line counter that adds complexity estimates, license detection, and COCOMO estimates on top of basic counts.

Best for: local analysis where you also want complexity or license insights.
Strengths: very fast, additional metrics beyond raw line counts.
Trade-off: additional metrics may not match OctoCounts/tokei figures exactly.

Is there a cloc alternative that needs no install and no clone?

For public GitHub repositories, OctoCounts is that alternative — it produces cloc-style code/comment/blank breakdowns from a URL. If you already think in cloc commands, the habits map directly:

cloc habit	OctoCounts equivalent
`cloc .` in a checkout	Paste the repository URL into the web app — no checkout step at all
`cloc --exclude-dir=node_modules`	Dependency and build folders (`node_modules`, `target`, `dist`, `vendor`, …) are skipped by default; custom ignores are part of the analysis options
`cloc --include-lang=Rust`	The per-language table is always shown; badges take `?lang=Rust` for a single-language count
`cloc --json`	Export a report as JSON, or fetch it via the API
`cloc --vcs=git`	Nothing to configure — counting runs from the source archive at a pinned commit
Pasting cloc output into a PR or issue	Every report has a stable URL, a PNG card, and a copyable citation — the methodology page shows the citation format

What cloc still does better: private repositories, offline environments, --diff between two local trees, and its unmatched language database. For other tool-to-tool trade-offs, see the dedicated tokei vs cloc vs scc comparison.

Which one should I use?

Scenario	Recommended tool
Quick public-repo size check in a browser	OctoCounts
README badge that updates from a live report	OctoCounts
Comparing two public repositories side by side	OctoCounts /compare
Private repository or sensitive code	tokei, cloc, or scc locally
CI pipeline with custom rules	tokei, cloc, or scc
Need complexity estimates or license detection	scc
Widest possible language support	cloc
Fastest local counting on large codebases	tokei or scc

Bottom line: OctoCounts is the right choice when you want a fast, shareable, no-install SLOC report for a public GitHub repository. For private code, offline environments, or highly customized analysis, run tokei, cloc, or scc locally.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between OctoCounts and cloc?

cloc is a local command-line tool written in Perl. OctoCounts is a web service that runs tokei on GitHub archives and adds caching, badges, shareable URLs, an API, a CLI, and browser extensions.

What is the difference between OctoCounts and tokei?

tokei is the fast Rust-based line counter that OctoCounts uses under the hood. OctoCounts wraps tokei with a web app, archive downloads, commit pinning, caching, and integrations.

What is the difference between OctoCounts and scc?

scc is a Go-based command-line tool that adds complexity estimates and license detection. OctoCounts focuses on fast, shareable, no-install SLOC reports for public GitHub repositories.

When should I use OctoCounts instead of a local tool?

Use OctoCounts when you want a quick, shareable report without installing anything, when you need a README badge, or when you want to compare repositories in a browser. Use cloc, tokei, or scc locally for private repositories or custom analysis.