AWS CodeCommit vs Visual Studio Team Services: What are the differences?

Key Differences between AWS CodeCommit and Visual Studio Team Services

AWS CodeCommit and Visual Studio Team Services (VSTS) are two popular tools used by developers for version control and collaboration. While both tools offer similar functionalities, there are several key differences between them.

1. Integration with other AWS services: AWS CodeCommit is seamlessly integrated with other AWS services such as AWS CodeBuild and AWS CodePipeline, providing a complete CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) pipeline. On the other hand, VSTS offers integrations with a wider range of tools and platforms, including Azure, GitHub, and Jenkins, making it a more versatile choice for organizations working with diverse technologies.

2. Hosting options: AWS CodeCommit is a fully managed service that is hosted entirely within the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud. This eliminates the need for organizations to manage their own infrastructure for version control. In contrast, VSTS offers both cloud-hosted and self-hosted options, allowing organizations to choose whether to keep their repositories on a third-party cloud or behind their own firewall, depending on their security and compliance requirements.

3. Pricing model: The pricing models for AWS CodeCommit and VSTS differ significantly. AWS CodeCommit is primarily priced based on the number of active users and the amount of data stored, making it a cost-effective choice for smaller teams or projects. VSTS, on the other hand, has a more complex pricing structure that includes options for different user licenses, build and release pipelines, and additional features such as package management. This makes it more suitable for larger organizations with complex requirements.

4. User interface and user experience: VSTS provides a user-friendly and intuitive interface, with a visual representation of code branches and pull requests. It also offers features such as customizable dashboards and built-in reporting and analytics, providing greater visibility and insights into the development process. AWS CodeCommit, while functional, has a simpler interface with fewer bells and whistles, which may be preferred by users who value simplicity and minimalism.

5. Security and compliance: AWS CodeCommit offers strong security features, including encryption at rest and in transit, granular access controls, and integration with AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) for user authentication and authorization. It also complies with various industry standards and regulations, such as ISO and SOC. VSTS also provides similar security features, but the level of control and compliance may vary depending on the hosting option chosen.

6. Ecosystem and community support: VSTS has a larger ecosystem and a more active community compared to AWS CodeCommit. This means that developers using VSTS can benefit from a wider range of third-party integrations, plugins, and community-driven resources such as forums and tutorials. AWS CodeCommit, being a relatively newer service, may have a smaller ecosystem and community support.

In Summary, AWS CodeCommit and VSTS differ in terms of integration with other AWS services, hosting options, pricing model, user interface and user experience, security and compliance features, and ecosystem/community support. The choice between the two tools depends on the specific needs and preferences of the organization or development team.