There are many cloud-based Git hosting platforms, including GitLab, GitHub, and Bitbucket, to name a few. But which one is the best? Well, it depends on your preference. Your preferred choice should hinge on collaboration features, automation, tools, integrations, etc. For instance, if cost is your main concern, then you should go with GitHub because you can enjoy many of its features in its free plan. GitLab is comparatively expensive.
Now, before moving towards their differences, let me first give you basic information about each. So, let’s start with GitHub. It is a platform used to share code. It was released in 2008, and within years, it gained traction. As of 2024, it is considered one of the biggest repositories with more than 30 million projects. You can learn more about GitHub here:
https://medium.com/@shariq.ahmed525/what-is-github-and-its-advantages-b7643fb680a3
GitLab, on the other hand, was created by Ukrainian developers Dmitriy Zaporozhets and Valery Sizov. It was released in 2011 with the same purpose — to share code. According to Wikipedia, GitLab also has more than 30 million users.
Bitbucket was also released in 2008. Initially, it was specific to Mercurial projects. But in 2011, it started using Git hosting. Although it hasn’t garnered as many users, it still has 10 million users. Developers love its CI/CD integration, which helps in building, deploying, and testing code.
Project Distribution
Bitbucket is best suited to be used by team members. GitHub, on the other hand, is mostly used at the company level. This is because the repository itself uses the organization level for project distribution. When we talk about GitLab, it has project distribution in groups. This means that you can share the code within the group.
Repository Import
In GitHub, you are given free rein to import the repository from one platform to another. In Bitbucket, the only restriction is on Mercurial platforms. This means that you can import the repository, but the platform must be Mercurial. Otherwise, you can’t import. GitLab users can import the repositories, but the platform should be Git.
Open-Source Repository Support
For now, open-source repository support is only provided in GitHub. Though, in both Bitbucket and GitLab, there are some features that will help you. But, in all of them, you won’t be able to fully support open-source projects.
CI Integration
In GitHub, there are many CI integrations that can help you in sharing codes. Unfortunately, this facility isn’t provided to users who are using GitLab. However, in Bitbucket, users can freely access CI.
API Integrations
These integrations are used for app development. GitHub has its own integrations. Bitbucket, on the other hand, offers the option to integrate various APIs with services. Developers have to use their own APIs in GitLab.
Best For
GitHub is best when you have to collaborate with developers around the globe. This is because developers can also contribute. It is important in the development stage required for code development and research. On the other hand, GitLab is best when you need comprehensive features that support the end-to-end development process. When it comes to BitBucket, it’s best for teams that want to collaborate on private software. BitBucket is also more flexible.
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