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  1. Stackups
  2. DevOps
  3. Version Control
  4. Source Code Management Desktop Apps
  5. Fork vs GitKraken vs Tower

Fork vs GitKraken vs Tower

OverviewDecisionsComparisonAlternatives

Overview

Tower
Tower
Stacks214
Followers360
Votes80
GitKraken
GitKraken
Stacks725
Followers909
Votes290
Fork
Fork
Stacks197
Followers258
Votes126

Fork vs GitKraken vs Tower: What are the differences?

Introduction

Git is a popular version control system used by developers to manage their code changes efficiently. Fork, GitKraken, and Tower are tools that help users interact with Git repositories in visual and user-friendly ways.

  1. Graphical Interface: Fork, GitKraken, and Tower all provide a graphical user interface instead of a command-line interface for interacting with Git repositories, making it easier for users to navigate through their version control workflow. However, they differ in the design and functionalities of their interfaces.
  2. Collaboration Features: Fork and GitKraken offer robust collaboration features such as pull request management, code review tools, and team collaboration features. Tower, on the other hand, mainly focuses on Git repository management and may not have as extensive collaboration tools.
  3. Price: Fork is free and open-source, providing users with essential Git features at no cost. GitKraken and Tower, on the other hand, are premium tools with pricing plans for individuals and teams, offering advanced features and support options.
  4. Supported Platforms: While all three tools are available on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, GitKraken and Tower also offer mobile applications that allow users to access their Git repositories on the go. Fork, on the other hand, is primarily designed for desktop use.
  5. Integration with Third-Party Services: GitKraken and Tower have built-in integrations with popular development platforms and services, making it easier for users to connect their Git repositories with tools like Jira, Slack, and Trello. Fork may have limited or no integrations with third-party services.
  6. Learning Curve: GitKraken and Tower provide more extensive documentation and support resources compared to Fork, making it easier for users to learn how to use the tools effectively. Additionally, GitKraken offers interactive tutorials and educational resources to help users get started with Git.

In Summary, Fork, GitKraken, and Tower provide graphical interfaces for interacting with Git repositories, but they differ in collaboration features, pricing, supported platforms, integrations, and learning resources.

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Advice on Tower, GitKraken, Fork

Stefan
Stefan

Jan 19, 2020

Decided

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.
198k views198k
Comments

Detailed Comparison

Tower
Tower
GitKraken
GitKraken
Fork
Fork

Use all of Git's powerful feature set - in a GUI that makes you more productive.

The downright luxurious Git client for Windows, Mac and Linux. Cross-platform, 100% standalone, and free.

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.

Clone & create repos with a click - Manage your GitHub, Bitbucket & Beanstalk accounts from within Tower;Open repos quickly - Tower's "Quick Open" dialog finds and opens repositories in no time;Automate the boring stuff - Fetching and stashing are automatically done for you, if you wish;Clone in the background- Downloading large projects happens in the background, while you work;Multiple windows - Have multiple projects open side-by-side
--
Statistics
Stacks
214
Stacks
725
Stacks
197
Followers
360
Followers
909
Followers
258
Votes
80
Votes
290
Votes
126
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 19
    Git
  • 16
    Just works
  • 10
    Version control
  • 6
    Awesome
  • 6
    Simple layout
Cons
  • 5
    Expensive
  • 4
    Subscription based
  • 1
    No side by side diff
  • 0
    Merge conflict resolution impossible/unclear
Pros
  • 60
    Dark theme
  • 34
    Best linux git client
  • 29
    Great overview
  • 21
    Gitflow support
  • 21
    Full featured client
Cons
  • 4
    Extremely slow when working with large repositories
  • 4
    No edit/fixup in interactive rebase
  • 4
    Hangs occasionally (not as bad as sourcetree)
  • 3
    Does not work like a Mac app
  • 3
    Do not allow to directly edit staging area
Pros
  • 19
    One of the easiest and fastest git GUIs
  • 14
    Nice UX
  • 13
    Fast, Great support, Does-it-all, blazing fast
  • 13
    Does the job way better than others
  • 11
    Dark theme
Cons
  • 2
    Poorly written license
  • 1
    Merges that require interactive user decision
  • 1
    Stability is fragile when looking deeply into history
Integrations
Bitbucket
Bitbucket
TextMate
TextMate
Visual Studio
Visual Studio
GitHub
GitHub
GitLab
GitLab
Git
Git
Xcode
Xcode
Gerrit Code Review
Gerrit Code Review
Beanstalk
Beanstalk
Git
Git
Git
Git

What are some alternatives to Tower, GitKraken, Fork?

SourceTree

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.

Sublime Merge

Sublime Merge

A snappy UI, three-way merge tool, side-by-side diffs, syntax highlighting, and more. Evaluate for free – no account, tracking, or time limits.

GitUp

GitUp

GitUp lets you see your entire labyrinth of branches and merges with perfect clarity. Any change you make, large or small, even outside GitUp, is immediately reflected in GitUp's graph. No refreshing, no waiting.

SmartGit

SmartGit

SmartGit is a powerful Git GUI client with support for GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab and Azure DevOps. SmartGit runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.

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