6 ms·

Bitbucket is great, but also check out SourceTree, their git / Mercurial client http://www.sourcetreeapp.com/ http://www.sourcetreeapp.com/

karmelapple 12y ago
Great tool that I use daily. Interestingly, I recently talked to someone in an interview setting who got asked a question about git, and as soon as the interviewee started saying, "Typically I use SourceTree," the interviewer's demeanor turned sour on asking any further version control questions. Just because someone uses a GUI for version control doesn't mean they don't understand it... I prefer the way SourceTree makes it very easy and visual to stage portions of a file, and the always-displayed tree makes it very clear how different branching and merging operations are going to happen. Seemed like some weird attitude against a GUI source control tool... especially one specifically well-designed for a Mercurial or Git workflow.
- seanwilson 12y ago
  I'm a happy SourceTree user as well. I know how to use Git in the terminal but I find SourceTree quicker to use as it lets me quickly visualise what I need to see.
  - orbitur 12y ago
    It's interesting to think about. I use SourceTree for 3 things: - new branches (I find the syntax tedious for some reason, and I like to see where I am in the tree, so I'm already looking at SourceTree's interface when I'm branching) - deleting remote branches (see above about syntax) - awesome diff visualization for past commits and current work Everything else I do on the command line, because SourceTree requires just a few too many clicks for my liking. It's a shame the terminal can't have a nice diff interface like SourceTree's, otherwise I'd probably be full terminal.
    - seanwilson 12y ago
      Similarly, I find the GUI quicker when I'm invoking commands I don't use often enough to memorise. I prefer cleaning up commits I'm about to make easier with SourceTree as well; I can browse through the diffs, reverse some changes, ignore some files, delete others then make my commit with minimal fuss.
    - zzzzz_ 12y ago
      apt-get install tig
- baldfat 12y ago
  I think that the only excuse for this is when the work environment uses headless servers. Can't tell you how many people are just stuck in GUI when they only knew Windows Servers and than thrown into a Linux server they were helpless.
- untog 12y ago
  I think it's important to be able to use both. GUIs are great at viewing diffs and so on, but you do need to know how to use the command line.
- mrec 12y ago
  "the interviewer's demeanor turned sour" Weird. I haven't worked in a team where people used the command line for bread-and-butter source control since 1996 or so. IME it's harder (not impossible, but harder) to screw things up with fat fingers using a GUI, and pretty much every time you use SCM you're going to want a good diff view anyway. (We tend to do basic paired code review at commit time.) It's kind of tragic; I don't think anyone would describe the git UI in flattering terms, but now that it's become a 'pons asinorum' for geek machismo it's almost impossible to replace it. And I agree, SourceTree is lovely.
Procedural 12y ago
If only it was available for Linux...
- sytse 12y ago
  GitLab B.V. CEO here, GitLab has comparable functionality and runs best on Linux, https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/blob/master/doc/install/requirements.md https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/blob/master/doc/inst...
  - realityking 12y ago
    Procedural was talking about their client (SourceTree), not the server software.
    - sytse 12y ago
      Oops, sorry, my mistake.
isaacremuant 12y ago
I don't personally like using git GUIs other than the occasional gitk/git gui but I've found it really helpful to give to someone with not experience who has to use git "right now" (Like in a Game Jam) and/or is not a programmer.
- Retra 12y ago
  It is way easier to learn git through a GUI. I didn't even know what it was or what it was used for when I started, and the GUI just laid everything out and showed you what it was doing. After that, the CLI version is just applying what you already know.

karmelapple 12y ago

Great tool that I use daily. Interestingly, I recently talked to someone in an interview setting who got asked a question about git, and as soon as the interviewee started saying, "Typically I use SourceTree," the interviewer's demeanor turned sour on asking any further version control questions. Just because someone uses a GUI for version control doesn't mean they don't understand it... I prefer the way SourceTree makes it very easy and visual to stage portions of a file, and the always-displayed tree makes it very clear how different branching and merging operations are going to happen. Seemed like some weird attitude against a GUI source control tool... especially one specifically well-designed for a Mercurial or Git workflow.

seanwilson 12y ago
I'm a happy SourceTree user as well. I know how to use Git in the terminal but I find SourceTree quicker to use as it lets me quickly visualise what I need to see.
- orbitur 12y ago
  It's interesting to think about. I use SourceTree for 3 things: - new branches (I find the syntax tedious for some reason, and I like to see where I am in the tree, so I'm already looking at SourceTree's interface when I'm branching) - deleting remote branches (see above about syntax) - awesome diff visualization for past commits and current work Everything else I do on the command line, because SourceTree requires just a few too many clicks for my liking. It's a shame the terminal can't have a nice diff interface like SourceTree's, otherwise I'd probably be full terminal.
  - seanwilson 12y ago
    Similarly, I find the GUI quicker when I'm invoking commands I don't use often enough to memorise. I prefer cleaning up commits I'm about to make easier with SourceTree as well; I can browse through the diffs, reverse some changes, ignore some files, delete others then make my commit with minimal fuss.
  - zzzzz_ 12y ago
    apt-get install tig
baldfat 12y ago
I think that the only excuse for this is when the work environment uses headless servers. Can't tell you how many people are just stuck in GUI when they only knew Windows Servers and than thrown into a Linux server they were helpless.
untog 12y ago
I think it's important to be able to use both. GUIs are great at viewing diffs and so on, but you do need to know how to use the command line.
mrec 12y ago
"the interviewer's demeanor turned sour" Weird. I haven't worked in a team where people used the command line for bread-and-butter source control since 1996 or so. IME it's harder (not impossible, but harder) to screw things up with fat fingers using a GUI, and pretty much every time you use SCM you're going to want a good diff view anyway. (We tend to do basic paired code review at commit time.) It's kind of tragic; I don't think anyone would describe the git UI in flattering terms, but now that it's become a 'pons asinorum' for geek machismo it's almost impossible to replace it. And I agree, SourceTree is lovely.

Procedural 12y ago

If only it was available for Linux...

sytse 12y ago
GitLab B.V. CEO here, GitLab has comparable functionality and runs best on Linux, https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/blob/master/doc/install/requirements.md https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/blob/master/doc/inst...
- realityking 12y ago
  Procedural was talking about their client (SourceTree), not the server software.
  - sytse 12y ago
    Oops, sorry, my mistake.

isaacremuant 12y ago

I don't personally like using git GUIs other than the occasional gitk/git gui but I've found it really helpful to give to someone with not experience who has to use git "right now" (Like in a Game Jam) and/or is not a programmer.

Retra 12y ago
It is way easier to learn git through a GUI. I didn't even know what it was or what it was used for when I started, and the GUI just laid everything out and showed you what it was doing. After that, the CLI version is just applying what you already know.