diff --git a/.github/workflows/keyvi.yml b/.github/workflows/keyvi.yml
index 2024dd91a..945dc2016 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/keyvi.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/keyvi.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ jobs:
         if: runner.os == 'Linux'
         run: |
           sudo apt-get update
-          sudo apt-get install -y libsnappy-dev libzzip-dev zlib1g-dev libboost-all-dev
+          sudo apt-get install -y libsnappy-dev libzzip-dev zlib1g-dev libboost-all-dev clang-tidy
       - name: install macOS deps
         if: runner.os == 'macOS'
         run: |
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 8076362d7..cc00d911b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,15 @@ if (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
   string(TOUPPER ${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE} CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE_UPPER)
 endif()
 
+#### Linting
+find_program(CLANGTIDY clang-tidy)
+if(CLANGTIDY)
+  message ("-- Found clang-tidy")
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_CLANG_TIDY clang-tidy; --extra-arg-before=-std=c++17)
+else()
+  message ("-- clang-tidy not found")
+endif()
+
 #### Cmake modules
 set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH};${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake_modules/")
 
diff --git a/keyvi/.clang-tidy b/keyvi/.clang-tidy
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..994895618
--- /dev/null
+++ b/keyvi/.clang-tidy
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+---
+Checks: "*,
+        -abseil-*,
+        -altera-*,
+        -android-*,
+        -fuchsia-*,
+        -google-*,
+        -llvm*,
+        -modernize-use-trailing-return-type,
+        -zircon-*,
+        -readability-else-after-return,
+        -readability-static-accessed-through-instance,
+        -readability-avoid-const-params-in-decls,
+        -cppcoreguidelines-non-private-member-variables-in-classes,
+        -misc-non-private-member-variables-in-classes,
+"
+HeaderFilterRegex: ''
+FormatStyle:     none
diff --git a/keyvi/tests/.clang-tidy b/keyvi/tests/.clang-tidy
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2978af83b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/keyvi/tests/.clang-tidy
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+# be less strict for tests
+InheritParentConfig: true
+Checks: "-cppcoreguidelines-avoid-magic-numbers,
+         -readability-function-cognitive-complexity,
+         -readability-function-cognitive-complexity,
+         -readability-identifier-length,
+         -readability-magic-numbers,
+"
\ No newline at end of file