diff --git a/.github/renovate-tracked-deps.json b/.github/renovate-tracked-deps.json
index 513b437c6..292f6b0d8 100644
--- a/.github/renovate-tracked-deps.json
+++ b/.github/renovate-tracked-deps.json
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@
         "aqua:jonwiggins/xmloxide",
         "aqua:owenlamont/ryl",
         "biome",
+        "checkstyle",
         "editorconfig-checker",
         "google-java-format",
         "hugo",
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 9c229117a..2949d8089 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ mise run ci
 # Quick compile without tests or checks (fastest)
 mise run compile
 
-# Run unit tests only (skips formatting/coverage/checkstyle)
+# Run unit tests only (skips formatting and coverage)
 mise run test
 
 # Run all tests including integration tests
@@ -23,15 +23,15 @@ mise run test-all
 
 # Run a single test class
 ./mvnw test -Dtest=CounterTest \
-  -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dcheckstyle.skip=true
+  -Dcoverage.skip=true
 
 # Run a single test method
 ./mvnw test -Dtest=CounterTest#testIncrement \
-  -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dcheckstyle.skip=true
+  -Dcoverage.skip=true
 
 # Run tests in a specific module
 ./mvnw test -pl prometheus-metrics-core \
-  -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dcheckstyle.skip=true
+  -Dcoverage.skip=true
 
 # Regenerate protobuf classes (after protobuf dep update)
 mise run generate
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index ece7e11e5..1b42bfaf4 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -96,14 +96,12 @@ mise --cd .mise/envs/native run native-test
 ### Avoid failures while running tests
 
 - Use `-Dcoverage.skip=true` to skip the coverage check during development.
-- Use `-Dcheckstyle.skip=true` to skip the checkstyle check during development.
 - Use `-Dwarnings=-nowarn` to skip the warnings during development.
 
 Combine all with
 
 ```shell
-./mvnw install -DskipTests -Dcoverage.skip=true \
-  -Dcheckstyle.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn
+./mvnw install -DskipTests -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn
 ```
 
 or simply
diff --git a/checkstyle-suppressions.xml b/checkstyle-suppressions.xml
index 82e964658..b1b9d6cfe 100644
--- a/checkstyle-suppressions.xml
+++ b/checkstyle-suppressions.xml
@@ -21,4 +21,12 @@
 
   <!-- Suppress all Javadoc checks for integration tests -->
   <suppress checks="Javadoc" files=".*[/\\]integration-tests[/\\].*"/>
+
+  <!-- Preserve the repository's main-source-only Checkstyle policy when Flint invokes the
+       standalone CLI with explicit Java files. -->
+  <suppress checks=".*" files=".*[/\\]src[/\\]test[/\\]java[/\\].*"/>
+  <suppress checks=".*" files=".*[/\\]src[/\\]archive[/\\]java[/\\].*"/>
+
+  <!-- Example setup intentionally groups declarations before the simulated work that uses them. -->
+  <suppress checks="VariableDeclarationUsageDistance" files=".*[/\\]examples[/\\].*"/>
 </suppressions>
diff --git a/checkstyle.xml b/checkstyle.xml
index cac6be8d3..bc6375b3f 100644
--- a/checkstyle.xml
+++ b/checkstyle.xml
@@ -48,18 +48,6 @@
   </module>
 
   <module name="TreeWalker">
-    <module name="RegexpSinglelineJava">
-      <property name="format"
-                value="(?&lt;!import static io.opentelemetry.sdk.testing.assertj.)OpenTelemetryAssertions\."/>
-      <property name="message"
-                value="Please statically import methods from OpenTelemetryAssertions"/>
-    </module>
-    <module name="RegexpSinglelineJava">
-      <property name="format"
-                value="(?&lt;!import static org.assertj.core.api.|OpenTelemetry)Assertions.assertThat"/>
-      <property name="message"
-                value="Please statically import methods from Assertions (OpenTelemetryAssertions extends Assertions)"/>
-    </module>
     <module name="OuterTypeFilename"/>
     <module name="IllegalTokenText">
       <property name="tokens" value="STRING_LITERAL, CHAR_LITERAL"/>
diff --git a/mise.lock b/mise.lock
index 7a22f9cdb..05d82afa6 100644
--- a/mise.lock
+++ b/mise.lock
@@ -302,6 +302,45 @@ url = "https://github.com/biomejs/biome/releases/download/%40biomejs/biome%402.5
 url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/biomejs/biome/releases/assets/509899229"
 provenance = "github-attestations"
 
+[[tools.checkstyle]]
+version = "13.8.0"
+backend = "aqua:checkstyle/checkstyle"
+
+[tools.checkstyle."platforms.linux-arm64"]
+checksum = "sha256:cb0b1083eb5d3f9f0b7f0edd9a86d8dbe406bf44da73c3df869abace8cb8502c"
+url = "https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/download/checkstyle-13.8.0/checkstyle-13.8.0-all.jar"
+url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/assets/474019260"
+
+[tools.checkstyle."platforms.linux-arm64-musl"]
+checksum = "sha256:cb0b1083eb5d3f9f0b7f0edd9a86d8dbe406bf44da73c3df869abace8cb8502c"
+url = "https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/download/checkstyle-13.8.0/checkstyle-13.8.0-all.jar"
+url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/assets/474019260"
+
+[tools.checkstyle."platforms.linux-x64"]
+checksum = "sha256:cb0b1083eb5d3f9f0b7f0edd9a86d8dbe406bf44da73c3df869abace8cb8502c"
+url = "https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/download/checkstyle-13.8.0/checkstyle-13.8.0-all.jar"
+url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/assets/474019260"
+
+[tools.checkstyle."platforms.linux-x64-musl"]
+checksum = "sha256:cb0b1083eb5d3f9f0b7f0edd9a86d8dbe406bf44da73c3df869abace8cb8502c"
+url = "https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/download/checkstyle-13.8.0/checkstyle-13.8.0-all.jar"
+url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/assets/474019260"
+
+[tools.checkstyle."platforms.macos-arm64"]
+checksum = "sha256:cb0b1083eb5d3f9f0b7f0edd9a86d8dbe406bf44da73c3df869abace8cb8502c"
+url = "https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/download/checkstyle-13.8.0/checkstyle-13.8.0-all.jar"
+url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/assets/474019260"
+
+[tools.checkstyle."platforms.macos-x64"]
+checksum = "sha256:cb0b1083eb5d3f9f0b7f0edd9a86d8dbe406bf44da73c3df869abace8cb8502c"
+url = "https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/download/checkstyle-13.8.0/checkstyle-13.8.0-all.jar"
+url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/assets/474019260"
+
+[tools.checkstyle."platforms.windows-x64"]
+checksum = "sha256:cb0b1083eb5d3f9f0b7f0edd9a86d8dbe406bf44da73c3df869abace8cb8502c"
+url = "https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/download/checkstyle-13.8.0/checkstyle-13.8.0-all.jar"
+url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/assets/474019260"
+
 [[tools.editorconfig-checker]]
 version = "3.11.1"
 backend = "aqua:editorconfig-checker/editorconfig-checker"
diff --git a/mise.toml b/mise.toml
index 021e0921c..a94b1f061 100644
--- a/mise.toml
+++ b/mise.toml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ actionlint = "1.7.12"
 "aqua:jonwiggins/xmloxide" = "v0.5.0"
 "aqua:owenlamont/ryl" = "0.21.0"
 biome = "2.5.8"
+checkstyle = "13.8.0"
 editorconfig-checker = "3.11.1"
 google-java-format = "1.36.1"
 lychee = "0.24.2"
@@ -48,16 +49,16 @@ run = "./mvnw clean"
 
 [tasks.compile]
 description = "bare compile, ignoring formatting and linters"
-run = "./mvnw install -DskipTests -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dcheckstyle.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn"
+run = "./mvnw install -DskipTests -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn"
 
 [tasks.generate]
 description = "regenerate protobuf sources"
-run = "./mvnw clean install -DskipTests -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dcheckstyle.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn"
+run = "./mvnw clean install -DskipTests -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn"
 env.PROTO_GENERATION = "true"
 
 [tasks.test]
 description = "run unit tests, ignoring formatting and linters"
-run = "./mvnw test -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dcheckstyle.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn"
+run = "./mvnw test -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn"
 
 [tasks.test-all]
 description = "run all tests"
@@ -78,7 +79,6 @@ BASELINE_OVERRIDE="${API_DIFF_BASELINE_VERSION:+-Dapi.diff.baseline.version=${AP
   ${BASELINE_OVERRIDE} \
   -DskipTests \
   -Dcoverage.skip=true \
-  -Dcheckstyle.skip=true \
   -Dwarnings=-nowarn
 ./.github/scripts/sync-api-diffs.sh
 """
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 2ba361bb1..f1adf649e 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@
     <!-- Bumped by .github/workflows/bump-api-diff-baseline.yml after each release. -->
     <api.diff.baseline.version>1.8.0</api.diff.baseline.version>
     <jacoco.line-coverage>0.70</jacoco.line-coverage>
-    <checkstyle.skip>false</checkstyle.skip>
     <coverage.skip>false</coverage.skip>
     <javadoc.skip>false</javadoc.skip>
     <warnings>-Werror</warnings>
@@ -182,28 +181,6 @@
       </plugins>
     </pluginManagement>
     <plugins>
-      <plugin>
-        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-        <artifactId>maven-checkstyle-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>3.6.0</version>
-        <configuration>
-          <consoleOutput>true</consoleOutput>
-          <configLocation>google_checks.xml</configLocation>
-          <configLocation>checkstyle.xml</configLocation>
-          <violationSeverity>warning</violationSeverity>
-          <failOnViolation>true</failOnViolation>
-          <skip>${checkstyle.skip}</skip>
-          <suppressionsLocation>checkstyle-suppressions.xml</suppressionsLocation>
-          <excludes>**/generated/**,**/jmh_generated/*</excludes>
-        </configuration>
-        <executions>
-          <execution>
-            <goals>
-              <goal>check</goal>
-            </goals>
-          </execution>
-        </executions>
-      </plugin>
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.jacoco</groupId>
         <artifactId>jacoco-maven-plugin</artifactId>
diff --git a/prometheus-metrics-otel-support/pom.xml b/prometheus-metrics-otel-support/pom.xml
index a4d179114..0365c4695 100644
--- a/prometheus-metrics-otel-support/pom.xml
+++ b/prometheus-metrics-otel-support/pom.xml
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
   </description>
 
   <properties>
-    <checkstyle.skip>true</checkstyle.skip>
     <coverage.skip>true</coverage.skip>
     <javadoc.skip>true</javadoc.skip>
   </properties>
diff --git a/prometheus-metrics-parent/pom.xml b/prometheus-metrics-parent/pom.xml
index d84511964..94467188d 100644
--- a/prometheus-metrics-parent/pom.xml
+++ b/prometheus-metrics-parent/pom.xml
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
   </description>
 
   <properties>
-    <checkstyle.skip>true</checkstyle.skip>
     <coverage.skip>true</coverage.skip>
     <javadoc.skip>true</javadoc.skip>
   </properties>