GitHub vs GitLab – Difference Between Them?

GitHub and GitLab are two commonly used repository managers used by developers. However, many people are perplexed by how these two are different from each other. So, in this article, we will go through GitHub vs GitLab in detail.

Before we go through GitHub vs GitLab in great depth, let’s first understand the need for GitHub and GitLab.

As we know that in a software development life cycle (SDLC), making changes to existing source code or developing new source code is quite common. But, due to these changes, developers who were working on separate portions of the code at the same time, the changes in the code could conflict with one another. This will very certainly create unintended flaws in the software. While these may not have an immediate impact on software development, they may lead to significant problems in the future, making it difficult to focus on the error zone.

This is when repository managers, like GitHub and GitLab come in handy. They safeguard the source code from flaws and conflicts. Running the code files via either of the two systems makes it simple to track changes.

Table of Contents (TOC)

• GitHub vs GitLab
• What is GitHub?
• Features of GitHub
• What is GitLab?
• Features of GitLab
• Similarities between GitHub vs GitLab

GitHub vs GitLab

For better understanding and clarity, let's go through GitHub vs GitLab in a tabular format.

Parameter	GitHub	GitLab
Minimum hardware requirement	4 vCPUs, 32 GB RAM, 150 GB attached storage, 200 GB root storage support up to 20 light users.	4 vCPU and 4 GB RAM support up to 500 users
Configuration is done by	Using the GitHub admin web interface and clicking Save changes.	Editing the GitLab configuration file and running reconfigure.
Requires a dedicated backup host	Yes	No
Allows horizontal scaling	No	Yes
Has true HA (High Availability)	No	Yes
Open source	No	Yes
Allows users to make public repository	No	Yes
Allows users to have unlimited free repository	Yes	No
Provides the feature of navigation into repository	No. GitHub permits users to navigate usability.	Yes
Has project development charts feature	No	Yes
Security	Less secure	More secure
Consists of Security Dashboard	No	Yes
Consists of License Compliance	No	Yes
Owned by	Microsoft Corporation	GitLab Inc.
Advantage	It helps to create an organized document for the project and share the work in front of the public.	It is a cloud-native application that is highly secure and freely available.
Disadvantage	It is a limited private repository and supports only Git version control.	Consists of many bugs that make the user experience sloppy

What is GitHub?

GitHub is a website and cloud-based service that allows developers to save, manage, and track changes to their code.

GitHub is an organization that provides cloud-based Git repository hosting. The GitHub interface is straightforward enough that even inexperienced programmers can use it. Without GitHub, utilizing Git often necessitates more technical know-how and command-line proficiency.

For more information, you can also explore: Tutorial – How to Use GitHub

Features of GitHub

Some of the most popular features of GitHub are:

• Includes a Syntax highlight feature
• Specifies project milestones and labels
• Provides for a comparison view of branches
• Allows publishing and hosting websites within GitHub using GitHub Pages
• Allows for the integration of third-party APIs for bug tracking and cloud hosting

You can also explore: GitHub/Git Tips and Tricks

What is GitLab? 

GitLab is a web-based Git repository that offers free open and private repositories, issue tracking, and wikis.

GitLab is a private software firm that provides a centralized server for managing Git repositories and simplifying administration responsibilities for many corporations worldwide. It assists teams in shortening product lifecycles and increasing productivity, which delivers value for customers.

You can also explore: REST vs SOAP? What’s the Difference?

Features of GitLab

Some of the most popular features of GitLab are:

• Aids in the upkeep of a repository on a server.
• Enhances user permission and branch protection are enhanced
• Contains a more intuitive user interface and authentication features
• Provides tools for effective development such as Time Tracking, Group Milestones, and Issue Tracker, among others

Similarities between GitHub vs GitLab 

Now that we’ve examined the differences between GitHub and GitLab let’s look at some of the similarities between the two.

• Both GitHub and GitLab provide free plans.
• Each of these services provides web-based open-source repositories.
• Both services are hosted on Linux servers and have bug trackers.
• Both GitHub and GitLab have command-line interfaces (CLI) for advanced coders.

You can also explore: CPU vs GPU? What’s the Difference?

Conclusion

Because of its big community and user-configurable structure, GitHub availability is higher and more prevalent among developers. At the same time, GitLab is robust and offers more entrepreneur plans and features. As a result, if your requirements seem to be more flexible and you wish to pay less money, GitLab may be a better choice. However, if you have confidence in 40 million+ developers, GitHub should be your first choice.

You will be able to employ these services more successfully now that you have a good understanding of GitHub vs GitLab.