Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

GitFiend VS GitHub Desktop

Compare GitFiend VS GitHub Desktop and see what are their differences

GitFiend logo GitFiend

GitFiend is the simple, graphical Git client designed to help you comprehend and manage your source code history.

GitHub Desktop logo GitHub Desktop

GitHub Desktop is a seamless way to contribute to projects on GitHub and GitHub Enterprise.
  • GitFiend Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-02
  • GitHub Desktop Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-02

GitFiend features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    GitFiend features an intuitive and clean interface that simplifies the process of managing Git repositories, making it accessible to users of all skill levels.
  • Cross-Platform
    GitFiend is available on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, offering flexibility for developers who work across different platforms.
  • Standalone Application
    It functions as a standalone application, reducing the need for any additional software or plugins, thus providing a streamlined workflow for managing repositories.
  • Visual Merge Tool
    GitFiend includes a visual tool for handling merge conflicts, making it easier for users to resolve issues without using command-line tools.
  • Free Option Available
    The availability of a free version allows users to access basic features at no cost, appealing to individual developers and small teams.

Possible disadvantages of GitFiend

  • Limited Advanced Features
    GitFiend may lack some advanced features that are available in more comprehensive Git clients, which could be a limitation for power users.
  • Less Community Support
    Compared to more established Git clients, GitFiend might have a smaller user community, which can affect the availability of community-driven support and resources.
  • Potential Performance Issues
    Users with very large repositories may experience performance slowdowns, which could impact the efficiency of certain operations.
  • Commercial License for Full Features
    While a free version is available, access to full features requires purchasing a commercial license, which may be a consideration for budget-conscious users.
  • Missing Integration Features
    GitFiend may not have extensive integration with other development tools or platforms, which could limit its functionality in a broader development pipeline.

GitHub Desktop features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    GitHub Desktop offers a clean, intuitive GUI that simplifies the Git process, making it accessible for beginners and less technical users.
  • Seamless GitHub Integration
    The application is tightly integrated with GitHub, allowing users to easily clone repositories, create branches, and submit pull requests directly through the desktop interface.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    GitHub Desktop is available on both Windows and macOS, offering a consistent experience across these major operating systems.
  • Simplifies Workflow
    Features like drag-and-drop to add files, visual diff tools, and easy branching help streamline the workflow for users.
  • Collaborative Features
    The app provides useful collaborative tools such as reviewing changes, creating requests, and viewing history, enhancing team productivity.

Possible disadvantages of GitHub Desktop

  • Limited Advanced Features
    While GitHub Desktop is great for basic tasks, it lacks advanced features found in other Git clients like GitKraken or the command line.
  • Dependency on GitHub
    The app is deeply integrated with GitHub, which can be limiting for users who want to interact with repositories hosted on other platforms like GitLab or Bitbucket.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users report performance issues when dealing with large repositories or a significant number of files, which can hinder productivity.
  • Customization Limitations
    GitHub Desktop offers limited customization options compared to other Git clients or the command line, which may be a drawback for power users.
  • Offline Limitations
    Certain features of GitHub Desktop require an internet connection to interact with GitHub, limiting its usability in offline scenarios.

GitFiend videos

No GitFiend videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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GitHub Desktop videos

GitHub Desktop 2.0 -- Easy Mode Version Control

More videos:

  • Review - GitHub Desktop Quick Intro For Windows
  • Tutorial - Git and GitHub for Beginners: GitHub basics, and how to use GitHub Desktop

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to GitFiend and GitHub Desktop)
Git
9 9%
91% 91
Git Tools
15 15%
85% 85
Code Collaboration
6 6%
94% 94
Development
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare GitFiend and GitHub Desktop

GitFiend Reviews

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GitHub Desktop Reviews

Best Git GUI Clients of 2022: All Platforms Included
Creating branches and switching to existing ones isn’t a hassle, so is merging code with the master branch. Furthermore, you can track your changes with GitHub Desktop. Check out our detailed guide on how to use GitHub for more detailed information.
Boost Development Productivity With These 14 Git Clients for Windows and Mac
GitHub Desktop is the global standard for working with Git-related tasks in a graphical user interface (GUI). It is an open-source tool and hence completely free to use for all sorts of projects. It is available for both Windows and macOS desktops and laptops.
Source: geekflare.com
Best Git GUI Clients for Windows
GitHub Desktop is, perhaps, the most famous solution for working with Git in a visual interface. It is familiar to all developers keeping their repositories on GitHub (Git repository hosting service used for version-controlling IT projects). This free Git GUI is open-source, transparent, and functional. When you consider the Git graphical interface for Windows, GitHub...
Source: blog.devart.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, GitHub Desktop seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 135 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

GitFiend mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of GitFiend yet. Tracking of GitFiend recommendations started around Apr 2022.

GitHub Desktop mentions (135)

  • How to Fix the Issue of Not Being Able to View Your GitHub Account on Other Devices
    Download the latest version from the GitHub Desktop website. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • 12 Steps to Organize and Maintain Your Python Codebase for Beginners
    I’m not going to dive into Git commands here — you can find plenty of tutorials online. If you’re not a fan of using the plain terminal CLI, you can also manage repositories with tools like GitHub Desktop or SourceTree, which provide a more visual, intuitive interface. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • File Governance and Versioning in Corticon BRMS
    Using terminal commands isn’t necessary for basic adoption of Git with Corticon Studio files, though. There are various tools that will allow us to bypass the command line when defining rules, including the built-in Eclipse plugin for Git version control. If you’ll be storing your assets on GitHub, though, an even easier solution is GitHub Desktop, a free desktop software that GitHub offers. It can be used in... - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • An Introduction to Nix for Ruby Developers
    Nix currently is akin to git's "porcelain": powerful but esoteric. However, much like git evolved into exoteric, user-friendly tools such as git-flow, GitHub Desktop, and Tower to become user-friendly, many developers are building abstractions, wrappers, and utilities to simplify Nix usage. Let's briefly look at a few of these tools now. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
  • Make your first contribution on github easily
    1.Download the github desktop. 2.Open the first contribution repository. 3.Open the github app and clone the repository. - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing GitFiend and GitHub Desktop, you can also consider the following products

Sublime Merge - Fast git client with integrated merge tool from the makers of Sublime Text

GitKraken - The intuitive, fast, and beautiful cross-platform Git client.

Gittyup - Understand your Git history! Contribute to Murmele/Gittyup development by creating an account on GitHub.

SourceTree - Mac and Windows client for Mercurial and Git.

GITK - The GITK - Generalized Interface Tool Kit is a set of libraries, which form a (user) interface...

SmartGit - SmartGit is a front-end for the distributed version control system Git and runs on Windows, Mac OS...