diff --git a/crates/oxc_linter/src/builder.rs b/crates/oxc_linter/src/builder.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..afc1c11bbee40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/oxc_linter/src/builder.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,288 @@
+use std::{
+    cell::{Ref, RefCell},
+    fmt,
+};
+
+use rustc_hash::FxHashSet;
+
+use crate::{
+    options::LintPlugins, rules::RULES, AllowWarnDeny, FixKind, FrameworkFlags, LintConfig,
+    LintFilter, LintFilterKind, LintOptions, Linter, Oxlintrc, RuleCategory, RuleEnum,
+    RuleWithSeverity,
+};
+
+#[must_use = "You dropped your builder without building a Linter! Did you mean to call .build()?"]
+pub struct LinterBuilder {
+    rules: FxHashSet<RuleWithSeverity>,
+    options: LintOptions,
+    config: LintConfig,
+    cache: RulesCache,
+}
+
+impl Default for LinterBuilder {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self { rules: Self::warn_correctness(LintPlugins::default()), ..Self::empty() }
+    }
+}
+
+impl LinterBuilder {
+    /// Create a [`LinterBuilder`] with default plugins enabled and no
+    /// configured rules.
+    ///
+    /// You can think of this as `oxlint -A all`.
+    pub fn empty() -> Self {
+        let options = LintOptions::default();
+        let cache = RulesCache::new(options.plugins);
+        Self { rules: FxHashSet::default(), options, config: LintConfig::default(), cache }
+    }
+
+    /// Warn on all rules in all plugins and categories, including those in `nursery`.
+    /// This is the kitchen sink.
+    ///
+    /// You can think of this as `oxlint -W all -W nursery`.
+    pub fn all() -> Self {
+        let options = LintOptions { plugins: LintPlugins::all(), ..LintOptions::default() };
+        let cache = RulesCache::new(options.plugins);
+        Self {
+            rules: RULES
+                .iter()
+                .map(|rule| RuleWithSeverity { rule: rule.clone(), severity: AllowWarnDeny::Warn })
+                .collect(),
+            options,
+            config: LintConfig::default(),
+            cache,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Create a [`LinterBuilder`] from a loaded or manually built [`Oxlintrc`].
+    /// `start_empty` will configure the builder to contain only the
+    /// configuration settings from the config. When this is `false`, the config
+    /// will be applied on top of a default [`Oxlintrc`].
+    ///
+    /// # Example
+    /// Here's how to create a [`Linter`] from a `.oxlintrc.json` file.
+    /// ```
+    /// use oxc_linter::{LinterBuilder, Oxlintrc};
+    /// let oxlintrc = Oxlintrc::from_file("path/to/.oxlintrc.json").unwrap();
+    /// let linter = LinterBuilder::from_oxlintrc(true, oxlintrc).build();
+    /// // you can use `From` as a shorthand for `from_oxlintrc(false, oxlintrc)`
+    /// let linter = LinterBuilder::from(oxlintrc).build();
+    /// ```
+    pub fn from_oxlintrc(start_empty: bool, oxlintrc: Oxlintrc) -> Self {
+        // TODO: monorepo config merging, plugin-based extends, etc.
+        let Oxlintrc { plugins, settings, env, globals, rules: oxlintrc_rules } = oxlintrc;
+
+        let config = LintConfig { settings, env, globals };
+        let options = LintOptions { plugins, ..Default::default() };
+        let rules =
+            if start_empty { FxHashSet::default() } else { Self::warn_correctness(plugins) };
+        let cache = RulesCache::new(options.plugins);
+        let mut builder = Self { rules, options, config, cache };
+
+        {
+            let all_rules = builder.cache.borrow();
+            oxlintrc_rules.override_rules(&mut builder.rules, all_rules.as_slice());
+        }
+
+        builder
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn with_framework_hints(mut self, flags: FrameworkFlags) -> Self {
+        self.options.framework_hints = flags;
+        self
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn and_framework_hints(mut self, flags: FrameworkFlags) -> Self {
+        self.options.framework_hints |= flags;
+        self
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn with_fix(mut self, fix: FixKind) -> Self {
+        self.options.fix = fix;
+        self
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn with_plugins(mut self, plugins: LintPlugins) -> Self {
+        self.options.plugins = plugins;
+        self.cache.set_plugins(plugins);
+        self
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn and_plugins(mut self, plugins: LintPlugins, enabled: bool) -> Self {
+        self.options.plugins.set(plugins, enabled);
+        self.cache.set_plugins(self.options.plugins);
+        self
+    }
+
+    pub fn with_filters<I: IntoIterator<Item = LintFilter>>(mut self, filters: I) -> Self {
+        for filter in filters {
+            self = self.with_filter(filter);
+        }
+        self
+    }
+
+    pub fn with_filter(mut self, filter: LintFilter) -> Self {
+        let (severity, filter) = filter.into();
+        let all_rules = self.cache.borrow();
+
+        match severity {
+            AllowWarnDeny::Deny | AllowWarnDeny::Warn => match filter {
+                LintFilterKind::Category(category) => {
+                    self.rules.extend(
+                        all_rules
+                            .iter()
+                            .filter(|rule| rule.category() == category)
+                            .map(|rule| RuleWithSeverity::new(rule.clone(), severity)),
+                    );
+                }
+                LintFilterKind::Rule(_, name) => {
+                    self.rules.extend(
+                        all_rules
+                            .iter()
+                            .filter(|rule| rule.name() == name)
+                            .map(|rule| RuleWithSeverity::new(rule.clone(), severity)),
+                    );
+                }
+                LintFilterKind::Generic(name_or_category) => {
+                    if name_or_category == "all" {
+                        self.rules.extend(
+                            all_rules
+                                .iter()
+                                .filter(|rule| rule.category() != RuleCategory::Nursery)
+                                .map(|rule| RuleWithSeverity::new(rule.clone(), severity)),
+                        );
+                    } else {
+                        self.rules.extend(
+                            all_rules
+                                .iter()
+                                .filter(|rule| rule.name() == name_or_category)
+                                .map(|rule| RuleWithSeverity::new(rule.clone(), severity)),
+                        );
+                    }
+                }
+            },
+            AllowWarnDeny::Allow => match filter {
+                LintFilterKind::Category(category) => {
+                    self.rules.retain(|rule| rule.category() != category);
+                }
+                LintFilterKind::Rule(_, name) => {
+                    self.rules.retain(|rule| rule.name() != name);
+                }
+                LintFilterKind::Generic(name_or_category) => {
+                    if name_or_category == "all" {
+                        self.rules.clear();
+                    } else {
+                        self.rules.retain(|rule| rule.name() != name_or_category);
+                    }
+                }
+            },
+        }
+        drop(all_rules);
+
+        self
+    }
+
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn build(self) -> Linter {
+        let mut rules = self.rules.into_iter().collect::<Vec<_>>();
+        rules.sort_unstable_by_key(|r| r.id());
+        Linter::new(rules, self.options, self.config)
+    }
+
+    /// Warn for all correctness rules in the given set of plugins.
+    fn warn_correctness(plugins: LintPlugins) -> FxHashSet<RuleWithSeverity> {
+        RULES
+            .iter()
+            .filter(|rule| {
+                // NOTE: this logic means there's no way to disable ESLint
+                // correctness rules. I think that's fine for now.
+                rule.category() == RuleCategory::Correctness
+                    && plugins.contains(LintPlugins::from(rule.plugin_name()))
+            })
+            .map(|rule| RuleWithSeverity { rule: rule.clone(), severity: AllowWarnDeny::Warn })
+            .collect()
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<Oxlintrc> for LinterBuilder {
+    #[inline]
+    fn from(oxlintrc: Oxlintrc) -> Self {
+        Self::from_oxlintrc(false, oxlintrc)
+    }
+}
+
+impl fmt::Debug for LinterBuilder {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        f.debug_struct("LinterBuilder")
+            .field("rules", &self.rules)
+            .field("options", &self.options)
+            .field("config", &self.config)
+            .finish_non_exhaustive()
+    }
+}
+
+struct RulesCache(RefCell<Option<Vec<RuleEnum>>>, LintPlugins);
+impl RulesCache {
+    #[inline]
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn new(plugins: LintPlugins) -> Self {
+        Self(RefCell::new(None), plugins)
+    }
+
+    pub fn set_plugins(&mut self, plugins: LintPlugins) {
+        self.1 = plugins;
+        self.clear();
+    }
+
+    #[must_use]
+    fn borrow(&self) -> Ref<'_, Vec<RuleEnum>> {
+        let cached = self.0.borrow();
+        if cached.is_some() {
+            Ref::map(cached, |cached| cached.as_ref().unwrap())
+        } else {
+            drop(cached);
+            self.initialize();
+            Ref::map(self.0.borrow(), |cached| cached.as_ref().unwrap())
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// # Panics
+    /// If the cache cell is currently borrowed.
+    fn clear(&self) {
+        *self.0.borrow_mut() = None;
+    }
+
+    /// Forcefully initialize this cache with all rules in all plugins currently
+    /// enabled.
+    ///
+    /// This will clobber whatever value is currently stored. It should only be
+    /// called when the cache is not populated, either because it has not been
+    /// initialized yet or it was cleared with [`Self::clear`].
+    ///
+    /// # Panics
+    /// If the cache cell is currently borrowed.
+    fn initialize(&self) {
+        debug_assert!(
+            self.0.borrow().is_none(),
+            "Cannot re-initialize a populated rules cache. It must be cleared first."
+        );
+
+        let mut all_rules: Vec<_> = if self.1.is_all() {
+            RULES.clone()
+        } else {
+            RULES
+                .iter()
+                .filter(|rule| self.1.contains(LintPlugins::from(rule.plugin_name())))
+                .cloned()
+                .collect()
+        };
+        all_rules.sort_unstable(); // TODO: do we need to sort? is is already sorted?
+
+        *self.0.borrow_mut() = Some(all_rules);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/oxc_linter/src/config/mod.rs b/crates/oxc_linter/src/config/mod.rs
index bab88cfbe0962..229c31fa8912b 100644
--- a/crates/oxc_linter/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/oxc_linter/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ mod test {
         }));
         assert!(config.is_ok());
 
-        let Oxlintrc { rules, settings, env, globals } = config.unwrap();
+        let Oxlintrc { rules, settings, env, globals, .. } = config.unwrap();
         assert!(!rules.is_empty());
         assert_eq!(
             settings.jsx_a11y.polymorphic_prop_name.as_ref().map(CompactStr::as_str),
diff --git a/crates/oxc_linter/src/config/oxlintrc.rs b/crates/oxc_linter/src/config/oxlintrc.rs
index e4cb9c599043f..86f58df275700 100644
--- a/crates/oxc_linter/src/config/oxlintrc.rs
+++ b/crates/oxc_linter/src/config/oxlintrc.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 use super::{env::OxlintEnv, globals::OxlintGlobals, rules::OxlintRules, settings::OxlintSettings};
 
-use crate::utils::read_to_string;
+use crate::{options::LintPlugins, utils::read_to_string};
 
 /// Oxlint Configuration File
 ///
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@ use crate::utils::read_to_string;
 /// ```
 #[derive(Debug, Default, Deserialize, Serialize, JsonSchema)]
 #[serde(default)]
+#[non_exhaustive]
 pub struct Oxlintrc {
+    pub plugins: LintPlugins,
     /// See [Oxlint Rules](https://oxc.rs/docs/guide/usage/linter/rules.html).
     pub rules: OxlintRules,
     pub settings: OxlintSettings,
diff --git a/crates/oxc_linter/src/lib.rs b/crates/oxc_linter/src/lib.rs
index 02f51d39d335f..debbae6d1d92e 100644
--- a/crates/oxc_linter/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/oxc_linter/src/lib.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 mod tester;
 
 mod ast_util;
+mod builder;
 mod config;
 mod context;
 mod disable_directives;
@@ -29,11 +30,12 @@ use oxc_diagnostics::Error;
 use oxc_semantic::{AstNode, Semantic};
 
 pub use crate::{
+    builder::LinterBuilder,
     config::Oxlintrc,
     context::LintContext,
     fixer::FixKind,
     frameworks::FrameworkFlags,
-    options::{AllowWarnDeny, InvalidFilterKind, LintFilter, OxlintOptions},
+    options::{AllowWarnDeny, InvalidFilterKind, LintFilter, LintFilterKind, OxlintOptions},
     rule::{RuleCategory, RuleFixMeta, RuleMeta, RuleWithSeverity},
     service::{LintService, LintServiceOptions},
 };
@@ -67,6 +69,14 @@ impl Default for Linter {
 }
 
 impl Linter {
+    pub(crate) fn new(
+        rules: Vec<RuleWithSeverity>,
+        options: LintOptions,
+        config: LintConfig,
+    ) -> Self {
+        Self { rules, options, config: Arc::new(config) }
+    }
+
     /// # Errors
     ///
     /// Returns `Err` if there are any errors parsing the configuration file.
diff --git a/crates/oxc_linter/src/options/mod.rs b/crates/oxc_linter/src/options/mod.rs
index b17c4d9aaa423..2aca78e444dca 100644
--- a/crates/oxc_linter/src/options/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/oxc_linter/src/options/mod.rs
@@ -4,12 +4,11 @@ mod plugins;
 
 use std::{convert::From, path::PathBuf};
 
-use filter::LintFilterKind;
 use oxc_diagnostics::Error;
 use rustc_hash::FxHashSet;
 
 pub use allow_warn_deny::AllowWarnDeny;
-pub use filter::{InvalidFilterKind, LintFilter};
+pub use filter::{InvalidFilterKind, LintFilter, LintFilterKind};
 pub use plugins::{LintPluginOptions, LintPlugins};
 
 use crate::{
diff --git a/crates/oxc_linter/src/options/plugins.rs b/crates/oxc_linter/src/options/plugins.rs
index 52355892fa633..d873a8d0dc172 100644
--- a/crates/oxc_linter/src/options/plugins.rs
+++ b/crates/oxc_linter/src/options/plugins.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ bitflags! {
     // NOTE: may be increased to a u32 if needed
     #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Hash)]
     pub struct LintPlugins: u16 {
+        /// Not really a plugin. Included for completeness.
+        const ESLINT = 0;
         /// `eslint-plugin-react`, plus `eslint-plugin-react-hooks`
         const REACT = 1 << 0;
         /// `eslint-plugin-unicorn`
diff --git a/crates/oxc_linter/src/snapshots/schema_json.snap b/crates/oxc_linter/src/snapshots/schema_json.snap
index 2ca0e388dc03a..792e860337bad 100644
--- a/crates/oxc_linter/src/snapshots/schema_json.snap
+++ b/crates/oxc_linter/src/snapshots/schema_json.snap
@@ -28,6 +28,19 @@ expression: json
         }
       ]
     },
+    "plugins": {
+      "default": [
+        "react",
+        "unicorn",
+        "typescript",
+        "oxc"
+      ],
+      "allOf": [
+        {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/LintPlugins"
+        }
+      ]
+    },
     "rules": {
       "description": "See [Oxlint Rules](https://oxc.rs/docs/guide/usage/linter/rules.html).",
       "default": {},
@@ -222,6 +235,12 @@ expression: json
         }
       }
     },
+    "LintPlugins": {
+      "type": "array",
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
     "NextPluginSettings": {
       "type": "object",
       "properties": {
diff --git a/npm/oxlint/configuration_schema.json b/npm/oxlint/configuration_schema.json
index d5dadb9fe6337..23c32c74fa96a 100644
--- a/npm/oxlint/configuration_schema.json
+++ b/npm/oxlint/configuration_schema.json
@@ -24,6 +24,19 @@
         }
       ]
     },
+    "plugins": {
+      "default": [
+        "react",
+        "unicorn",
+        "typescript",
+        "oxc"
+      ],
+      "allOf": [
+        {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/LintPlugins"
+        }
+      ]
+    },
     "rules": {
       "description": "See [Oxlint Rules](https://oxc.rs/docs/guide/usage/linter/rules.html).",
       "default": {},
@@ -218,6 +231,12 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "LintPlugins": {
+      "type": "array",
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
     "NextPluginSettings": {
       "type": "object",
       "properties": {
diff --git a/tasks/website/src/linter/snapshots/schema_markdown.snap b/tasks/website/src/linter/snapshots/schema_markdown.snap
index e716a23f8c985..f6a6e801867c3 100644
--- a/tasks/website/src/linter/snapshots/schema_markdown.snap
+++ b/tasks/website/src/linter/snapshots/schema_markdown.snap
@@ -70,6 +70,22 @@ You may also use `"readable"` or `false` to represent `"readonly"`, and `"writea
 
 
 
+## plugins
+
+type: `array`
+
+
+
+
+### plugins[n]
+
+type: `string`
+
+
+
+
+
+
 ## rules
 
 type: `object`