Fisheye vs Gerrit Code Review: What are the differences?

Introduction

Fisheye and Gerrit Code Review are both software tools used in the development process of software projects. While they serve a similar purpose, there are key differences between the two.

1. Code Hosting and Repository Integration: Fisheye is primarily a source code indexing and search tool. It provides live, indexed access to source code repositories, but does not provide direct code review functionality. On the other hand, Gerrit Code Review is a dedicated code review tool that integrates with source code repositories. It provides a platform for collaborative code reviews, including features such as commenting, voting, and approval workflows.

2. Code Review Workflow: Fisheye does not have a built-in code review workflow. It mainly focuses on providing a search and browsing interface for code repositories. In contrast, Gerrit Code Review provides a comprehensive code review workflow. It allows developers to submit code changes for review, facilitates discussions and feedback, and enables the integration of automated testing and continuous integration tools.

3. Integration with Continuous Integration Tools: Fisheye does not have direct integration with continuous integration (CI) tools. It is primarily designed to provide code browsing and indexing capabilities. On the other hand, Gerrit Code Review offers seamless integration with CI tools. It can trigger automated tests and builds based on code review events, ensuring code quality is maintained throughout the development process.

4. Access Control and Permissions: Fisheye provides basic access control mechanisms, allowing administrators to manage user permissions at a repository level. However, it lacks the granularity and flexibility of access control offered by Gerrit Code Review. Gerrit Code Review allows fine-grained access control, allowing administrators to define permissions at a branch or even file level, ensuring that only authorized individuals can review or modify specific parts of the codebase.

5. Patch and Change Management: Fisheye does not provide native support for managing patches or changes. It primarily focuses on providing a search and navigation interface for code repositories. On the other hand, Gerrit Code Review excels in managing patches and changes. It keeps track of individual code changes, allows multiple iterations of review and modification, and ensures that the entire code review process is well-documented and auditable.

6. Third-Party Integrations: Fisheye offers limited third-party integrations, mostly focusing on popular issue tracking systems. However, Gerrit Code Review provides a wide range of integrations with popular development tools such as issue trackers, project management tools, and collaboration platforms. This integration helps streamline the development workflow by bridging communication gaps and reducing context switches between different tools.

In Summary, Fisheye and Gerrit Code Review differ in their primary focus, with Fisheye primarily functioning as a source code search and browsing tool, while Gerrit Code Review provides a comprehensive code review workflow with extensive integration capabilities.