Git, GitLab and Github: difference and peculiarities of version control systems

SDLC —  software development life cycle  — contains four cornerstone aspects: modification, amendments, collaboration, and continuous improvement. The key idea of the approach is to make SDLC more available for all team members, more efficient and beneficial for your project. Git, GitHub and GitLab — names you may have heard — are different version control systems, each of which is advantageous for collaborative development in a number of ways. If your goal is to refine cooperation within projects, this post will give you some insights into features of Git, GitHub and GitLab. But first, let us shed some light on the history of Git vs GitHub vs GitLab version control systems.

First, what is Git?

Git is a version control system that operates efficiently with projects of different scales, from small to very complex ones. Git is valued by programmers, as it enables specialists to co-work without interfering with one another’s systems. No matter how tiny changes you make, the system takes a snapshot of the full database. Hence, engineers can review changes or revert them whenever they need to, which is helpful for enhancing code quality. The difference between the typical version control systems and Git is that the latter option allows for interaction with multiple versions of your project and the crystallisation of the result. Git and GitHub difference, in simple terms, lies in the fact that the latter is a more advanced version of the former.

Feature-based development essentially presupposes applying Git. If you have your in-house developers team, you can utilise a local Git. If your goal is to establish seamless collaboration with remote experts, opt for cloud-based software. In this case, code-based repositories are located on GitLab or GitHub. Both cloud-based options exceed Git’s functionality.

What is GitLab vs GitHub: to the basics

GitHub was developed back in 2008 based on Ruby on Rails technology, while GitLab was created in 2011. GitHub was more concentrated on fostering interaction around code units overall, but recently, the system has added project management instruments and functionality for CI/CD processes. Meanwhile, GitLab was initially aimed at issue tracking and providing instruments for CI/CD pipelines and project management.

What is GitLab used for?

GitLab enables companies to utilise management tools to optimise their development cycle. You may also run the server within your own data centre, which means significant cost savings. The software can be applied for both open-source and for-profit projects, as your vulnerable data and source code are secured.

The main emphasis in GitLab is put on improving the repository of Git. Developers endeavoured to create more efficient, scalable and flexible tools for software engineers. The first release of this version control system took place back in 2011; nowadays, millions of programmers and other technical specialists utilise GitLab.

Some features of GitLab:

• Diverse tools for authentication
• Enhanced branch protection
• Easy-to-use server-based repository
• Development instruments, such as Time Tracking, Group Milestones, Issue Tracker and spontaneous user interface
• Open-source platform for repository editions

Now, having answered the basic questions regarding GitLab, we can move on to the GitHub overview.

GitHub was conceived as a platform for code sharing and optimising cooperation between developers. Among key components of the system are GitHub Actions, repositories, pull requests, ticket systems with milestones and automatic safety checks. On GitHub, you can create a free account or, alternatively, take advantage of paid sources. The latter is distinctive by the single sign-on feature and increased storage.

What is GitHub used for?

Primarily for keeping track of code by turning to basic code repositories. Alongside that, the system is also helpful for bug tracking and documentation. GitHub is an all-encompassing platform with the marketplace, where software engineers can select and utilise apps and connectors.

What are the differences between GitHub and GitLab? As opposed to GitLab, which is a cloud-native app, GitHub shares your projects with the public. Github prioritises speed of operations, whereas GitLab more accentuated reliability.

Some features of GitHub

• Assigning milestones and project labels
• A feature of comparing views between branches
• Hosting and publishing web pages within GitHub
• Bug-tracking API implementation from third parties

GitLab and GitHub comparison

Let us now highlight the key features of both systems to give you a better understanding of their differences.

• GitLab provides a private repository for free with no conditions, while GitHub enables only three collaborators to work with a private repository.
• GitLab possesses functions of hosting manager instruments utilised for the development process; it has navigation embedded in the repository. Whereas GitHub enables programmers to navigate usability.
• GitHub allows software specialists to select CI/CD instruments after integration. GitLab already contains integrated DevOps and CI/CD tools.
• Within GiLab, users are free to modify permission roles for staff members. GitHub, for its part, provides users with accessibility to read/write to a repository.
• If you accentuate robust security for your project, GitLab is a better choice. GitHub does not possess License Compliance.
• The GitHub platform has 374 applications within the marketplace and additional paid options. GitLab is conceptually different: instead of providing users with different applications, this version control system is a packaged complete solution.
• GitLab includes embedded documentation related to the question of how to import or export information from vendors. For most frequently utilised Git repositories, GitHub does not offer detailed documentation.
• GitLab lets users review project development charts. GitHub does not possess instruments for project analysis. However, within the latter version control system, users may review the commit history.
• Lastly, GitHub is publicly accessible for collaboration. Only GitLab’s software engineers can cooperate on code within the latter platform.

To encapsulate, we consider the pros and cons of each version control system. 

What is GitLab? What is GitHub? — Pros and Cons

GitHub pros:

• Straightforward setup
• Responsive UI
• Easy sharing and remote cooperation instruments
• A wide community of users

GitHub cons:

• The platform is not open-source
• No embedded CI/CD
• Insufficient features of API development, compared to GitLab
• Public repositories are free; private ones are paid

GitLab pros:

• Data import/export extensive features
• Built-in CI/CD and constant updates
• Better security, when compared to GitHub
• Easy code maintenance

GitLab cons:

• Smaller community of users
• Possible interference of bugs
• Less mature platform compared to GitHub

We hope this post has helped shed some light on the question, “What is git vs GitHub vs GitHub?“. If you search for a reliable vendor or need additional consulting on using version control systems, don’t hesitate to contact the PNN Soft team.