GitLab vs Review Board: What are the differences?
Introduction
GitLab and Review Board are both popular code collaboration platforms used by software development teams. While they share similarities in providing tools for code review and version control management, there are key differences between the two. This Markdown code provides a concise comparison highlighting the six main differences between GitLab and Review Board.
-
Integration with Version Control System: GitLab is a complete DevOps platform that offers a built-in Git repository and supports other version control systems like SVN. In contrast, Review Board is primarily focused on code review and integrates with various version control systems such as Git, Mercurial, and Perforce. GitLab's extensive support for version control gives it an advantage when it comes to managing different types of projects.
-
User Interface and User Experience: GitLab has a more modern and intuitive user interface that makes it easier for developers to navigate and access various features. On the other hand, Review Board has a simpler interface that focuses primarily on code review functionality. GitLab's visually appealing and user-friendly interface enhances productivity and usability for development teams.
-
Built-in Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD): GitLab offers a built-in CI/CD pipeline to automate the process of building, testing, and deploying applications. This comprehensive CI/CD functionality streamlines the development workflow, making it more efficient and convenient for teams. Review Board, however, does not offer built-in CI/CD capabilities, requiring separate tools or manual processes to achieve the same level of automation.
-
Code Collaboration Features: GitLab provides a wide range of collaborative features like merge requests, issue tracking, and inline code commenting that facilitate team collaboration and communication. Review Board, being a dedicated code review tool, offers robust code review capabilities with features like diff visualization, commenting, and reviewing changesets. While GitLab's collaboration features are more comprehensive, Review Board's specialized focus on code review provides more in-depth reviewing capabilities.
-
Community and Marketplace: GitLab has a larger and more active community, providing access to a wealth of resources, support, and community-contributed extensions and integrations. It also has an extensive marketplace with a wide range of plugins and tools that can be easily integrated into the platform. Review Board, although it has an active community, does not have the same level of marketplace and integration options as GitLab.
-
Pricing and Deployment Options: GitLab offers both a self-hosted Community Edition and a cloud-hosted version with different pricing tiers, including a free tier for small teams. It provides flexibility in deployment options, allowing teams to choose the one that fits their needs and budgets. Review Board, on the other hand, is primarily self-hosted and is available for free as an open-source product. The self-hosted nature of Review Board may require additional infrastructure and maintenance costs.
In Summary, GitLab is an all-in-one DevOps platform with extensive version control system integration and built-in CI/CD capabilities, offering an intuitive user experience and a wide range of collaboration features. Review Board, on the other hand, is a dedicated code review tool with a simpler interface, powerful code review capabilities, and a focus on compatibility with various version control systems.