GitLab vs GitHub: Choosing the Right Platform

In the software development landscape, version control systems play a pivotal role in ensuring efficient collaboration and seamless code management. Among the huge pool of popular code management platforms, there are two widely used platforms: GitHub and GitLab. The reason for their popularity is their change-tracking, team communication, and code management capabilities.

According to a survey by StackOverflow, around 87.2% of developers stated Git as their preference for version control and efficient software development and deployment.

As a result, it does not matter whether you are an experienced development professional or an individual coder starting with software development. When you choose the right code management platform, the team of web app developers becomes capable of working efficiently, minimizing errors, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality solutions.

So, in this write-up, we will discover the overview, differences, and pros and cons of GitLab and GitHub and help you choose the ideal platform for your development needs.

Overview of GitHub

GitHub is a git-based repository hosting platform with over 40 million users. It enables publishing of your projects to the public, which means the code is publicly shared and accessible to all. However, GitHub is useful for private projects as well. For example, it can be leveraged for documentation, wikis, and tracking bugs.

Moreover, this cloud-based platform helps mobile app developers track and test code changes. They can freely pick and utilize integrations and applications from the GitHub marketplace to execute development with this feature-rich platform.

Overview of GitLab

GitLab is an open-core DevOps platform and cloud-based repository that enables developers to develop, test, monitor, and release code. Usually, GitLab’s primary USP was a cloud-based Git repository.
Now, GitLab does provide several app development tools, continuous integration, security, and other DevOps capabilities. GitLab offers both free and paid cloud-based SaaS services. Simply put, GitLab is more than just a basic source code version control system.

How Do GitLab and GitHub Differ?

Now that you have explored the basics of GitLab and GitHub, we will dive into discovering the difference between these two platforms to make an informed choice. Let’s get started!

Scope & Functionality: GitLab vs GitHub

GitLab adopts an extensive strategy of providing a single platform to the developers for a complete software development lifecycle. It is equipped with features such as code review, problem tracking, CI/CD pipelines, and various other tools.

On the contrary, the GitHub platform is hugely dedicated to code collaboration and version control.

CI/CD Integration: GitLab vs GitHub

GitLab has in-built CI/CD pipelines which implies the developers can easily use the repository to automate software testing and deployment process.

On the other hand, GitHub too does have CI/CD capabilities which can be utilized via GitHub Actions. However, GitLab’s integrated methodology is widely used by the developer and the reason is its ease of use.

Community Ecosystem: GitLab vs GitHub

GitHub has built a sizable community of developers with a go-to hub for those who seek assistance regarding open-source projects.

GitHub also has a robust community of specialized experts who help developers facing issues at any phase of the development lifecycle. However, it is preferred by businesses or developers seeking a more integrated development ecosystem.

Hosting: GitLab vs GitHub

GitLab provides you the freedom to choose between self-hosting or its cloud-based offering. Choosing the self-hosting option is ideal as it gives complete control over repositories and data.

On the other hand, GitHub functions as a cloud-based service and is hosted by itself.

Licensing: GitLab vs GitHub

GitLab has a dual licensing model in which users adopting self-hosting can access the free community edition. Furthermore, its enterprise edition provides advanced features and in-built license compliance tools. These help ensure the codebases strictly adhere to the licensing rules and regulations.

On the other hand, GitHub lacks these features in the free plan. However, the paid plans comprise certain exclusive features for a better platform experience.

Pros of GitLab

• High Customization: GitLab is an open-source platform that makes scalability easy to meet certain development requirements.
• Free Private Repositories: GitLab’s free plan provides access to limitless private repositories. As a result, it becomes an ideal choice for small to medium-sized teams or individual developers who need private code repositories without paying extra.
• Enhanced Security: GitLab offers robust security features such as licensing compliance tools code reviewing, access controls, and more that ensure a secure environment for development.

Cons of GitLab

• Wide Learning Curve: It may take a lot of time to achieve proficiency with GitLab’s features and functionalities, especially for those with no skills and knowledge about DevOps.
• Slower Interface: GitLab’s UI has been cited frequently by users for its slower interface as compared to other VCSs. However, it is continuing to improve its performance.
• Few Integration Choices: GitLab offers various integration choices, however, does not have a comprehensive marketplace like GitHub.

Pros of GitHub

• User-Friendly Interface: GitHub has a user-friendly design and responsive interface which makes it easy for developers to navigate and maintain repositories, and enhance collaborations.
• Integration Ecosystem: GitHub provides an array of integrations with third-party systems that enable developers to enhance their workflows.
• Community Support: GitHub’s community-driven nature ensures an abundance of support, documentation, and resources, making it easier for developers to find solutions to their queries.

Cons of GitHub

• Dependency on Third-Party Integrations: GitHub significantly depends on third-party integrations to offer features beyond simple VCS. It causes compatibility concerns or increases dependency on services from outside.
• Lack of In-Built Code Quality Tools: Although GitHub Actions offers continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) features, developers depend on external integrations for thorough code analysis.
• Limited Self-Hosting Choices: The lack of self-hosting alternatives on GitHub creates a sense of concern among businesses looking for complete command over their data and infrastructure.

Choosing the Right Platform: GitLab vs GitHub

GitLab and GitHub are two strong code management tools, each with special benefits and capabilities. Which option you choose will rely on the particulars of your project, including the size of your team, your budget, and your security requirements.

Choose GitLab if you want self-hosting, more control, and an integrated continuous integration/continuous deployment mechanism. On the other hand, you can choose GitHub if you’re searching for a more expansive community, an easy-to-use UI, or improved connectivity with other services.

Conclusion

To sum up, no matter which platform you pick, GitLab or GitHub, having a version control system is vital to ensure effective and successful software development. So, you need to assess your needs, define your exact needs including the feature set, and make an informed choice to enhance the development lifecycle.

Besides, it would be viable to seek assistance from a reputable software development company having DevOps specialists with knowledge of testing and maintaining code. Furthermore, we can help you better understand the effective practices and coding conventions specific to GitLab or GitHub.