alex

Free plan APIExtensionWeb

What alex is

alex is a writing checker that flags gender-favouring, polarising, race-related, religion-inconsiderate, and other unequal phrasing. It can suggest alternatives when it warns about wording, and assumes good intent by ignoring words used literally. Examples of its checks include gendered job titles and proverbs, ableist or condescending language, intolerant phrasing, and profanities. It checks plain text, Markdown, MDX, and HTML, and its API offers exports for those formats. You can run it on a file from the command line after installing it globally with npm, or configure rules through an .alexrc file or package.json. It can warn about or allow and deny specific rules. Listed integrations include Atom, Sublime, Gulp, Slack, Ember, Probot, Vim, Contentful, GitHub Actions, browser extensions, Figma, and VS Code. It is free, open source under the MIT license, and requires Node 14 or later because it is ESM only. The project recommends using it with tests in a project workflow, while cautioning that automated checks cannot replace learning about inclusive communication or listening to lived experience.

Who it suits

It suits writers and project teams who want an automated check for potentially unequal wording in text or a development workflow. The project also describes checking your own or someone else’s writing.

What it does well

Free plan and MIT-licensed open source
Checks plain text, Markdown, MDX, and HTML
Can suggest alternative wording
Rules can be allowed or denied
Integrations include GitHub Actions and VS Code

What to know first

Requires Node 14 or later
ESM only
Automated checks cannot replace learning or listening

Limits

Alex’s checks are warnings, and the project cautions that automated tools cannot replace studying inclusive communication or listening to lived experiences. Its package requires Node 14 or later and is ESM-only.

Getting started

Visit https://alexjs.com/.
Install globally with npm using `npm install alex --global`.
Run Alex on a file from the command line, or use its documented API exports.
Configure rules with an .alexrc file or a package.json field if needed.
Use one of its listed editor, service, or workflow integrations.

Verdict

alex offers configurable checks across several writing formats, with command-line, API, and integration options. Its own caveat is important: automated warnings are not a substitute for learning about inclusive communication.

Questions

Is alex free?

Yes. Alex is free and open source under the MIT license.

What formats does alex check?

It checks plain text, Markdown, HTML, and MDX through its command-line tool and API.

Can alex suggest alternative wording?

Yes. When it flags wording, it can suggest alternatives, such as replacing “his” with “their.”

What integrations are listed?

Integrations include Atom, Sublime, Gulp, Slack, Ember, Probot, Vim, Contentful, GitHub Actions, browser extensions, Figma, and VS Code.

What does alex require?

The package is ESM-only and requires Node 14 or later.

How can users contact the maker?

The official site welcomes suggestions, feature requests, and issues through GitHub Issues, and provides an email address for contacting the maker.

Facts from alex's own pages

Additional integrations: The README also lists integrations for GitHub Actions, browser extensions, Figma, and VS Code. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
API: The README documents API exports for Markdown, MDX, HTML, and text. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Assumptions: alex says it assumes good intent and ignores words meant literally. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Checks: Examples of checks include gendered work titles and proverbs, ableist language, condescending language, intolerant phrasing, and profanities. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
CLI: The site shows alex running from the command line and gives `npm install alex --global` as an installation command. · alexjs.com, 8 Oct 2026
Command line: The official site documents installing Alex globally with npm and running it on a file from the command line. · alexjs.com, 8 Oct 2026
Compatibility: The README says the package is ESM only and requires Node 14 or later. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Configuration: Users can configure Alex with .alexrc files or a package.json field, and can allow or deny specific rules. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Input formats: The project README says Alex checks plain text, HTML, MDX, and Markdown. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Integrations: The official site lists integrations for Atom, Sublime, Gulp, Slack, Ember, Probot, Vim, and Contentful. · alexjs.com, 8 Oct 2026
Intended users: The site describes checking your own or someone else’s writing, and the README recommends running Alex with tests in a project workflow. · alexjs.com, 8 Oct 2026
License: The GitHub repository identifies the project as open source and links to its MIT license. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
License and contributions: The site describes alex as open source software and welcomes community requests and contributions. · alexjs.com, 8 Oct 2026
Limitations: The README says Alex is not very smart and that automated tools cannot replace studying inclusive communication or listening to lived experiences. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
More integrations: The README also lists GitHub Actions, a browser extension, Figma, and VSCode integrations. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Programmatic API: The README documents API exports for checking Markdown, MDX, HTML, and plain text. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Purpose: Alex helps find gender favouring, polarising, race related, religion inconsiderate, and other unequal phrasing. · alexjs.com, 8 Oct 2026
Suggestions: When it flags wording, Alex can suggest alternatives, such as replacing “his” with “their.” · alexjs.com, 8 Oct 2026
Support: The official site welcomes suggestions, feature requests, and issues through GitHub Issues, and provides an email address for contacting the maker. · alexjs.com, 8 Oct 2026

Where alex stands on Freedom251

Writing Style Checkers#6 of 29