Practical comparison / PMC and JATS
PMC Style Checker and JATS Verify solve different problems.
Use the official PMC checker for PMC-specific style rules. Use JATS Verify before delivery when you need to inspect the complete package, repeat journal rules, compare releases, and retain evidence.
The PMC Style Checker is free and authoritative for its stated PMC checks. JATS Verify does not certify or guarantee PMC acceptance.
Choose by the question you need answered
| Need | PMC Style Checker | JATS Verify |
|---|---|---|
| PMC-specific style feedback | Use it | Not a replacement |
| General XML and configured JATS DTD checks | Destination-focused | Included |
| Missing local figures and supplements | Not the primary package gate | Included with an assets ZIP |
| Broken internal cross-references and duplicate IDs | Destination-dependent | Included |
| Journal-specific required metadata | PMC rules | JSON journal profiles |
| Previous-release comparison | No release baseline workflow | Canonical comparison included |
| Reproducible evidence and release ZIP | Checker output | JSON evidence, hashes, and release bundle |
| CI or production API | Use PMC's published interfaces where suitable | Paid API key and API-only GitHub Action |
A sensible release sequence
- 01Build the package
Create the JATS XML and collect every locally referenced figure, media file, supplement, and related asset.
- 02Run package QA
Use JATS Verify for structure, assets, internal links, identifiers, journal rules, changes, and retained evidence.
- 03Run the destination checker
Use the current checker supplied by PMC, SciELO, your archive, or the receiving journal.
- 04Keep both results
Retain the destination response and the package evidence with the exact release delivered.
Why pay for another check?
JATS Verify is useful when production teams repeat the same package review across suppliers, journals, and releases. The paid value is complete findings, reusable journal rules, release-to-release comparison, evidence downloads, and API execution. If the free PMC checker fully answers your release question, keep using it.
See the package layer
Check one JATS package free.
No account, email, card, or sales call. The free result shows the verdict and up to five findings.