Best Open Source Alternatives to GitHub in 2023
Using these top open-source GitHub alternatives, you may create open projects, change the way you work, improve security, and even add new features or write more code to the open-source code you’re already using.
GitLab
GitLab is the finest open-source GitHub alternative since it is quite comparable to GitHub while being built on open-source technology. It has a lot of extra features that you won’t find on GitHub, but it still has all of the benefits of an open-source code. As a result, you’ll have more security, better efficiency, the freedom to tweak and develop the code, and all of the other new or improved features.
Added features include branching tools, time monitoring, file locking, a simple way to combine requests, confidential parts, charts, and more. These capabilities allow you to cooperate more effectively, be more efficient, and stay organized without having to rely on third-party services to meet some of your demands.
Despite the fact that GitLab is open-source, it is still a reliable tool for managing DevOps. GitLab’s best feature is how well it connects with third-party applications. For example, you can create issues directly from email and then use review applications to examine all required modifications within the GitLab app. GitLab also has the advantage of being self-hosted or hosted on third-party servers. GitLab will not cost you anything if you opt to host it yourself.
Gitolite
Gitolite is an excellent open-source, lightweight alternative to GitHub that is very basic while still providing all of the capabilities you’ll ever need. You won’t be able to use Gitolite because it lacks an interface and a client. To set up Gitolite and get started, you’ll only need to write a small amount of code.
In truth, Gitolite is based on Git, but it comes with a few tweaks and plenty of room to customize and expand Gitolite. Gitolite is wonderful open-source alternatives to build on if you’re an experienced coder or a corporation that wants to construct custom software for their purposes.
Gitolite is an excellent alternative to GitHub if you’re having trouble with permissions or security. Permissions and grants are straightforward to set up using Gitolite, and you won’t have to spend a lot of effort doing it manually. Gitolite generates login credentials with permissions that you can share with other members of your team.
Gitolite then manages user access, grants permission if the key is successfully used, and handles security and permission levels on your behalf (once you set it up). Despite the lack of a UI, Gitolite is a viable option because it is open-source and addresses some of GitHub’s most time-consuming concerns.
Gitea
Gitea is an excellent open-source GitHub alternative since it is based on GitHub but gives users with code that can be run on their own server. You may create user logins, define permissions, build repositories, start working on code, and much more when you install Gitea on your server. Gitea has nearly all of the same functionality as GitHub, but it also allows you to have complete control over your code, projects, and even features.
Even the interface is pretty similar to GitHub, so switching won’t be difficult. Gitea, which emerged from the Gogs source, is strikingly similar to the Gogs project. As a result, you can utilise either Gitea or Gogs, and the user experience will be nearly same. It’s incredibly easy to upload the code, go through it, merge codes, and manage security using SSH keys. You can also expect tools like bug tracking, code review, and problem management.
Gitea is interestingly hosted on GitHub, where you can grab it straight from the source, and all you need to put it up is a Windows, Linux, or macOS server. I’ve discovered that Gitea has a highly active community that is always willing to help, and this open-source GitHub competitor still receives regular upgrades, which is just one of the many advantages.
GitBucket
What makes open-source GitHub alternatives so appealing is that they’re designed on GitHub to provide all of the same capabilities, a similar user experience, and the ability to add missing features. GitBucket is a Scale-based GitHub clone that is simple to install and interoperable with all GitHub APIs.
Because the repository is hosted over HTTPS or SSH, migration from GitHub is simple. When you’ve got all your code in GitBucket, the repository browser helps you see what’s going on, while issues and tracking make it easier to use.
In addition to the built-in functionality, GitBucket includes a plugin system that allows you to add any needed features without having to write them directly into the open-source code. GitBucket also has a number of plugins that you can use to integrate the program directly, and you can find them all on the GitBucket website.
Plugins provide everything from notifications to analysis, maintenance, CI/CD, and utilities, as well as UI and project management. As a result, modifications and upgrades will be simple, and you’ll be able to tailor GitBucket to your team’s specific requirements.
What’s more, GitBucket’s community can submit any custom-made plugins, ensuring that new plugins are constantly uploaded. GitBucket is getting regular updates with around 100 releases, and its user database is only growing, indicating that a GitBucket community is growing. GitBucket, in my opinion, is a “bulked-up” GitHub version that gives you more capabilities and freedom while saving you a lot of money.
RhodeCode
RhodeCode is a fantastic open-source code management tool with a unified approach. It connects Git, Mercurial, and Subversion with businesses who want a source code management tool with a visual representation of all functionality.
This open-source program gives you centralized control over all of your dispersed repositories via an interface. Simply import them into RhodeCode and you will be able to manage all of your codes “under one roof.” RhodeCode improves team collaboration tools, allows more control over code (no matter the repository), improves workflow automation, and even boosts interaction time using this method.
RhodeCode is extremely secure, and it includes built-in permission management that allows you to designate different levels of access to each member of your team. As a result, no matter how much code you have in RhodeCode, it will always work.
All you have to pick when migrating to RhodeCode is whether you’ll host RhodeCode on-premise or have RhodeCode host it for you in their cloud. Anyone who wants to host the open-source RhodeCode version on their own server can do so for free. If you want to host RhodeCode on the cloud, it will cost you $8 per user per month.
Bitbucket
Bitbucket is an excellent option if you’re a professional team looking for a high-performance, open-source alternative to GitHub with more features. Bitbucket is a platform that allows teams of any size to import GitHub repositories in just six steps. Bitbucket, in compared to GitHub, offers more workflow-enhancing tools, such as smart monitoring, flexible deployments, and issue tracking.
Bitbucket goes even farther in terms of security by including an IP whitelisting feature and bolstering security with an integrated Snyk security scan. What I enjoy best about Bitbucket is that it has more functionality, makes switching from GitHub simple, and provides an excellent environment for team collaboration. This is one of the most important features that GitHub lacks. If working together to create high-quality software on GitHub proved difficult, Bitbucket is here to help.
Bitbucket is based on open-source code, which allows for a lot of flexibility in terms of upgrades and enhancements. Bitbucket, on the other hand, allows third-party connectors to connect Bitbucket to tools like Jira or even multiple frameworks. Bitbucket is completely free for teams of up to five people. If you have a team of up to 100 members, Bitbucket will cost you $3 per user per month for the Standard version, and $6 per user per month for the Premium version.
Fossil
If you’re unhappy with GitHub, let alone the entire Git system, Fossil is an excellent alternative that replaces the entire Git system. Fossil has a built-in interface for Git repositories that is developed around the project management system. As a result, you may think of Fossil as an all-in-one tool that is simple to self-host while being robust and secure.
Fossil, like other distributed versions like Git or Mercurial, includes the most basic capabilities like bug tracking, wiki, forum, and chat, and it even has a growing community. Fossil has a number of information pages in the interface that will help you become acclimated to it. However, you shouldn’t be concerned about the new interface because it’s as straightforward as GitHub’s.
When it comes to networking, Fossil makes things simple by including conventional HTTPS or SSH interactions between networks. I’ve also discovered that Fossil makes it simple to generate source code and has excellent storing capabilities (due to the auto-sync and SQLite database combination), as well as being so fast that even power outages won’t affect your work.
GNU Savannah
Because it works with Git, GNU, Subversion, Mercurial, and a few more programs, GNU Savannah is an excellent open-source GitHub alternative. It also includes web hosting, bug tracking services, mailing lists, and direct file hosting, among other things. It’s a free open-source software tool. Even while the steeper learning curve and installation can slow down beginners, if mastered, GNU Savannah can be a valuable asset to any corporation. It’s not only free and can save you a lot of money, but it’s also a wonderful fit for anyone who has to write code, construct software, or maintain a product.
The most significant advantage of GNU Savannah over GitHub is the free hosting provided to any projects that adhere to the tight guidelines. Of course, you can only host free software, but that’s ideal for anyone on a tight budget who needs a server and wants to use free open-source software.
Even though the platform can be limiting, if you follow the restrictions, you can have an excellent open-source GitHub alternative for free. You’ll get access to the community on the forum, help from the support, and even a list of other free projects hosted at GNU Savannah if you purchase GNU Savannah.
Beanstalk
Beanstalk is an open-source web-based GitHub alternative that is known for being a robust, dependable, and secure platform for managing code repositories. You won’t have any trouble transitioning from GitHub to Beanstalk if you enjoy how GitHub allows you to review code. To aid code review, Beanstalk contains capabilities such as an issue tracker, email digests, comparative review, history of changes and files, and more.
This is one of the few open-source GitHub alternatives to include two-factor authentication in its security features. IP records and the use of strong passwords for accounts with level rights are also used to ensure security. Despite the fact that Beanstalk is a web-based application, it may be used in a variety of ways. Another reason why world-renowned firms like Intel, Phillips, and others employ Beanstalk is because of this benefit.
Beanstalk is particularly fantastic for teams because it contains a section where you can create a team, grant rights, and keep track of the entire team and work in progress via alerts, commit history, and other features. The statistics function, which isn’t very popular, is one of my favorites because it provides quick and easy access to code statistics for the specified time period. You may also deploy code directly from Beanstalk, so you’ll never be limited or have to rely on third-party solutions.
GitPrep
GitPrep is another excellent open-source GitHub alternative since it is a clone of GitHub that is supposed to be free and available to anyone. It’s designed to be a lightweight and portable GitHub system that can be installed on any Linux/Unix system. GitPrep supports CGI, has a built-in server, and reverse proxy support. Perl 5.8.7+ is the only requirement to operate this open-source alternative.
Another reason GitPrep is an excellent open-source GitHub competitor is how easy it is to import GitHub repositories. You can immediately pull your GitHub repositories using an integrated pull & push repository system (through HTTP).
There is no learning curve if you transition from GitHub to GitPrep because it is a clone. To install GitPrep, all you need is a server to host it on, and it simply takes two commands. You won’t have to think twice about moving to GitHub with CGI and SSL support, Smart HTTP support, and GitPrep support.
Conclusions
These open-source GitHub alternatives are all excellent choices. However, they do not all function in the same way or have the same functions. GitLab is the best option because it is very similar (nearly clone-like) to GitHub but has additional functionality that GitHub users may have missed. It’s also free to use, and migrating your code repositories from GitHub to GitLab is simple.
If GitLab isn’t a good fit for you, I’m confident that at least one of the other nine options will be. Switching methods are frequently quick and uncomplicated. While you will save a lot of money because you will not have to pay for software, keep in mind that a hosted server will cost you some money.
