Git, GitHub, and GitLab are essential tools that developers rely on for version control, collaboration, and project management. While these three technologies are often used together, many people struggle to understand their differences and how they complement each other.
These are important concepts to understand when creating a more refined and collaborative development process. Git is the foundation, but GitHub and GitLab offer platforms that enhance its functionality, each with unique features and focus areas.
In this article, we’ll break down what each tool does, how they differ, and how they can work together to help streamline the development process. Whether you’re just starting out with version control or deciding between GitHub and GitLab for your next project, this guide will provide clarity on their roles and help you make an informed decision.
What do these tools share in common?
Let us cover what is similar among all three of Git, GitHub, and GitLab before covering the differences:
- All use Git – All three being Git-based, all three share the same distributed development, branching, and merging capabilities.
- Collaboration features – Both GitHub and GitLab include issue tracking, pull/merge requests, and code review capabilities.
- CI/CD support – Both offer continuous integration and deployment support, although GitLab does so natively.
- Security & access controls – Both offer security features, although their control and configuration vary.
- Hosting options – Git requires self-hosting, but GitHub and GitLab offer cloud-hosted and self-hosted solutions.
Let us now observe where they differ.
Git
Git is an open-source version control system (VCS) that has become indispensable for companies of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises. It serves as a powerful tool for tracking and managing changes in code during the software development process.
With Git, developers can create “snapshots” of their work at various stages, allowing them to revisit previous versions or histories of a project whenever needed. This versioning system is particularly valuable because, unlike many other VCS tools, Git enables multiple developers to work on different branches of the same project simultaneously. These branches can then be merged, ensuring that changes are incorporated without overwriting others’ work.
Whether you’re part of a large development team or working independently, Git ensures that all your work is safely stored, making it easy to revert to earlier versions if something goes wrong. It also fosters smooth collaboration, as developers can work in parallel without the fear of conflicting changes, enhancing both productivity and efficiency.
Although GitHub and GitLab are hosting platforms, Git is merely code change-tracking software.
Strengths
- Free and open-source, no vendor lock-in.
- Offline availability through cloning entire repositories.
- Insanely flexible and extensible.
- Good branching and merging.
Weaknesses
- No cloud storage or collaboration features.
- Must be hosted elsewhere (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).
- Can be difficult for beginners.
Special Features
- Entirely decentralized process.
- Supports several hosting services.
- Developers can host and establish their own repositories.
GitHub and GitLab
GitHub and GitLab are both popular web-based platforms built around Git repositories. Despite their similar names, they are owned by different organizations: GitHub is owned by Microsoft, while GitLab is maintained by the GitLab Inc. team. Both platforms serve as collaborative spaces for developers to manage their Git projects, share their code, test applications, and work together. With millions of users worldwide, they continue to evolve, offering a wide range of tools to streamline the development process.
While GitHub and GitLab share many features, there are also some notable differences between them. Here’s a look at some of the qualities they have in common:
- Cloud-based storage for hosting repositories.
- Issue tracking systems to manage and resolve multiple problems at once.
- Linux server support for backend operations.
- Both offer free and paid plans to cater to different needs.
- A wide range of third-party integrations available for both platforms.
- Both platforms support open-source projects and encourage community contributions.
- Project management tools and features designed for developers to streamline their workflow.
- They embrace mixed programming models, enabling flexibility in coding approaches.
GitHub vs. GitLab
Although GitHub and GitLab serve the same general purpose, helping developers collaborate on and manage Git repositories, they do so in slightly different ways. While there are many similarities, their core philosophies and features set them apart.
GitHub, being the older of the two, focuses heavily on community-building and fostering collaboration. It offers a large number of third-party integrations and plugins, but the platform itself takes a more modular approach. This means developers may need to rely on additional tools to handle certain tasks, such as continuous integration (CI) or DevOps processes.
On the other hand, GitLab offers a more integrated solution, especially when it comes to DevOps workflows. It provides built-in continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) features, making it an all-in-one platform for project development. GitLab’s goal is to provide a comprehensive experience, from source code management to deployment, without relying on third-party integrations.
GitLab was originally created as an alternative to GitHub, but over time, it has evolved into a robust platform offering various plans and enhanced features. While GitLab strives to be a one-stop solution for development teams, GitHub prioritizes flexibility and community engagement, making it ideal for projects that rely on external tools and services.
Differences Between GitHub and GitLab: Comparison Table
To make it simple to compare GitHub and GitLab, we have divided their primary differences in the table below. The comparison makes it simple to observe how each of them handles hosting, collaboration, CI/CD, security, and user interface design, so you can simply select what suits your project best.
| Feature | GitHub | GitLab |
| Type | Cloud Hosting & Collaboration | DevOps Platform |
| Initial Release | 2008 | 2011 |
| Authentication Methods | Role-based | Configured by owner/developer for read/write access |
| Collaboration Model | Public code available for community collaboration | Code collaboration is limited to GitLab’s web developers |
| Ownership | Microsoft | GitLab Inc. |
| Import/Export Options | Lacks built-in import/export features | Supports import and export capabilities |
| Third-Party Integrations | Available through third-party services | Native integrations built into the platform |
| Source Code Accessibility | Proprietary | Open-core model |
| Time Tracking Features | Not available | Integrated time tracking |
| Hosting | Cloud-based | Self-hosted & Cloud |
| Community Size | 83 million+ | Over 30 million+ |
| CI/CD | GitHub Actions | Built-in CI/CD |
| Security | Basic security scanning | Advanced security features |
| Attachment Support | Does not support attachments | Supports file attachments in repositories |
| Collaboration Features | Pull requests, discussions | Issue tracking, kanban boards, wikis |
| Private Repositories | Free for up to 3 collaborators | Free access for all |
| User Interface | Fixed UI size, minimal text editor | Scalable UI, desktop view, integrated IDE |
| Branching Strategy | Focuses on merging changes into the main branch | Encourages creating and working on multiple branches |
| Inner Sourcing | Permitted | Not allowed |
| Pricing | Free & Paid Plans | Free & Paid Plans |
Pros and Cons of GitHub and GitLab
When choosing between GitHub and GitLab, it’s important to evaluate not only their differences but also the strengths and weaknesses of each platform. Below are the pros and cons of both GitHub and GitLab to help guide your decision.
GitHub
Pros:
- Simple and user-friendly setup process
- Intuitive and clean user interface (UI)
- Facilitates easy sharing and collaboration on projects
- Large, active community for support and collaboration
- Excellent integration with third-party tools and services
- Ideal for open-source projects, with massive visibility
Cons:
- GitHub itself is not open source
- Lacks built-in continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) features
- API development is less refined compared to GitLab
- Free versions have fewer features than the paid plans
- Only public repositories are free; private repositories require a subscription
GitLab
Pros:
- The GitLab Community edition is free and open-source
- Built-in CI/CD and DevOps features for streamlined workflows
- Comprehensive documentation for data import/export
- Regularly updated with new features and improvements
- Excellent security features with a focus on privacy
- Easy to manage and maintain code, especially for larger teams
Cons:
- Smaller community compared to GitHub
- Can be complex when it comes to upgrades and configurations
- Some users report bugs and minor issues interfering with work
- Less mature than GitHub, which can affect stability in certain cases
How to Choose the Right Tool for Your Company
GitHub and GitLab choice is a question of what your company needs:
- If you have small teams and open-source projects: GitHub gets it done due to its simplicity and massive developer network.
- If you have large businesses and security team-centric businesses: GitLab would be ideal if you need self-hosting, baked-in CI/CD, and compliance features.
- For DevOps teams: GitLab offers the best out-of-the-box CI/CD experience with security and monitoring included.
Conclusion
Git, GitHub, and GitLab each serve a unique purpose in the software development lifecycle. Git is the underlying version control system, essential for tracking changes and managing code across different environments. GitHub shines in fostering collaboration, offering a massive community, and making it ideal for open-source projects where easy sharing and integration with third-party tools are key. GitLab, however, stands out for its all-in-one platform, combining code management with built-in CI/CD tools, DevOps features, and project management capabilities, making it ideal for teams seeking a more integrated solution.
Choosing between GitHub and GitLab ultimately depends on your team’s specific needs. If community engagement and project sharing are your priorities, GitHub is a clear choice. But if you’re looking for a platform that provides a seamless development and deployment pipeline with powerful built-in features, GitLab is the better option. Need help choosing the right platform for your project? Start by evaluating your team’s workflow and goals, then dive deeper into each platform’s features. Whether you decide on GitHub or GitLab, make the most of these tools to enhance collaboration and streamline your development process.
