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SourceTree

10.4K
7.9K
+ 1
727
TortoiseGit

48
87
+ 1
5
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SourceTree vs TortoiseGit: What are the differences?

SourceTree and TortoiseGit are two popular Git clients. Let's discuss the key differences between them.

  1. User Interface: SourceTree offers a more modern and visually appealing user interface with a clean and intuitive design. It provides a comprehensive set of features and options, presented in an organized manner. On the other hand, TortoiseGit has a simpler and more minimalistic user interface, which may appeal to users who prefer a lightweight and less cluttered interface.

  2. Integration with Other Tools: SourceTree integrates well with other Atlassian products, such as Bitbucket and JIRA, providing seamless integration and enhanced collaboration capabilities. It allows for easy navigation between SourceTree and these tools, facilitating a streamlined workflow. TortoiseGit, on the other hand, focuses primarily on Git functionality and does not have built-in integration with other tools. However, it can still be used alongside other development tools.

  3. Platform Compatibility: SourceTree is available for both Windows and macOS operating systems, making it suitable for developers working on different platforms. It offers a consistent user experience across different platforms, enabling teams with diverse operating system preferences to collaborate effectively. In contrast, TortoiseGit is primarily designed for Windows and does not have official support for macOS. It is optimized for Windows shell integration and may not provide the same level of compatibility on other platforms.

  4. Workflow Support: SourceTree provides extensive support for different Git workflows, such as feature branching, pull requests, and merging, through its intuitive user interface. It offers visual representations of Git branches, history, and conflicts, making it easier for developers to understand and manage their codebase. TortoiseGit, while offering similar functionality, may require a deeper understanding of Git commands and concepts, as it relies more on shell integration and context menus.

  5. Ease of Setup and Configuration: SourceTree simplifies the setup and configuration process by providing a guided installation and initial repository setup wizard. It offers intuitive options for configuring global and repository-specific settings, making it easier for novice users to get started with Git. TortoiseGit, on the other hand, requires manual installation and configuration, which may be slightly more time-consuming for new users.

  6. Community and Support: SourceTree has a larger and more active community of users, providing a wealth of resources and support. The Atlassian Community and official documentation offer comprehensive guides, tutorials, and troubleshooting tips. TortoiseGit also has an active community, but its user base may be relatively smaller. However, TortoiseGit benefits from the extensive documentation and resources provided by the Git community as a whole.

In summary, SourceTree offers a modern interface, extensive integration capabilities, cross-platform support, and a guided setup process. TortoiseGit focuses on simplicity, Windows shell integration, and manual configuration.

Decisions about SourceTree and TortoiseGit

I explored many Git Desktop tools for the Mac and my final decision was to use Fork. What I love about for that it contains three features, I like about a Git Client tool.

It allows * to handle day to day git operations (least important for me as I am cli junkie) * it helps to investigate the history * most important of all, it has a repo manager which many other tools are missing.

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Pros of SourceTree
Pros of TortoiseGit
  • 205
    Visual history and branch view
  • 164
    Beautiful UI
  • 134
    Easy repository browsing
  • 87
    Gitflow support
  • 75
    Interactive stage or discard by hunks or lines
  • 22
    Great branch visualization
  • 18
    Ui/ux and user-friendliness
  • 8
    Best Git Client UI/Features
  • 7
    Search commit messages
  • 5
    Available for Windows and macOS
  • 1
    Log only one file
  • 1
    Search file content
  • 4
    Turns Explorer into a git client
  • 1
    Free

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Cons of SourceTree
Cons of TortoiseGit
  • 12
    Crashes often
  • 8
    So many bugs
  • 7
    Fetching is slow sometimes
  • 5
    No dark theme (Windows)
  • 5
    Extremely slow
  • 5
    Very unstable
  • 4
    Can't select text in diff (windows)
  • 3
    Freezes quite frequently
  • 3
    Can't scale window from top corners
  • 2
    UI blinking
  • 2
    Windows version worse than mac version
  • 2
    Installs to AppData folder (windows)
  • 2
    Diff makes tab indentation look like spaces
  • 2
    Windows and Mac versions are very different
  • 2
    Diff appears as if space indented even if its tabs
  • 2
    Doesn't have an option for git init
  • 2
    Useless for merge conflict resolution
  • 2
    Doesn't differentiate submodules from parent repos
  • 2
    Requires bitbucket account
  • 1
    Generally hard to like
  • 1
    No reflog support
  • 1
    Bases binary check on filesize
  • 1
    Can't add remotes by right clicking remotes (windows)
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    What is SourceTree?

    Use the full capability of Git and Mercurial in the SourceTree desktop app. Manage all your repositories, hosted or local, through SourceTree's simple interface.

    What is TortoiseGit?

    It is a Git revision control client, implemented as a Windows shell extension and based on TortoiseSVN. It is free software released under the GNU General Public License.

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    What companies use SourceTree?
    What companies use TortoiseGit?
    See which teams inside your own company are using SourceTree or TortoiseGit.
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    What tools integrate with SourceTree?
    What tools integrate with TortoiseGit?

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    What are some alternatives to SourceTree and TortoiseGit?
    GitKraken
    The downright luxurious Git client for Windows, Mac and Linux. Cross-platform, 100% standalone, and free.
    Bitbucket
    Bitbucket gives teams one place to plan projects, collaborate on code, test and deploy, all with free private Git repositories. Teams choose Bitbucket because it has a superior Jira integration, built-in CI/CD, & is free for up to 5 users.
    Tower
    Use all of Git's powerful feature set - in a GUI that makes you more productive.
    GitHub
    GitHub is the best place to share code with friends, co-workers, classmates, and complete strangers. Over three million people use GitHub to build amazing things together.
    Fork
    Manage your repositories without leaving the application. Organize the repositores into categories. Fork's Diff Viewer provides a clear view to spot the changes in your source code quickly.
    See all alternatives