# OctoCounts vs cloc, scc, and tokei

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](https://github.com/AlDanial/cloc) | Command-line (Perl) | Local analysis, CI scripts, widest language support | Yes | Yes | No |
| [tokei](https://github.com/XAMPPRocky/tokei) | Command-line (Rust) | Fast local counting, large repositories | Yes | Yes | No |
| [scc](https://github.com/boyter/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](https://github.com/AlDanial/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](https://github.com/XAMPPRocky/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](https://github.com/boyter/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.

## 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.

## Related reading

- [Best SLOC counter tools compared (including sloccount and GitHub's language bar)](/docs/best-sloc-counter-tools)
- [GitHub SLOC counter guide](/docs/github-sloc-counter)
- [OctoCounts counting methodology](/docs/methodology)
- [OctoCounts API docs](/docs/api)
- [OctoCounts FAQ](/docs/faq)