Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

GitHub VS Phabricator

Compare GitHub VS Phabricator and see what are their differences

GitHub logo GitHub

Originally founded as a project to simplify sharing code, GitHub has grown into an application used by over a million people to store over two million code repositories, making GitHub the largest code host in the world.

Phabricator logo Phabricator

Phacility - Phabricator
  • GitHub Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-05
  • Phabricator Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-13

GitHub

Website
github.com
$ Details
Release Date
2008 January
Startup details
Country
United States
State
California
Founder(s)
Chris Wanstrath
Employees
500 - 999

GitHub features and specs

  • collaboration
    GitHub provides a platform for multiple developers to work on the same project concurrently, facilitating collaboration through features like pull requests, code reviews, and issues tracking.
  • integration
    GitHub integrates seamlessly with various third-party tools and services, such as CI/CD pipelines, project management tools, and many development environments, enhancing productivity and workflow efficiency.
  • version_control
    Utilizes Git for version control, allowing users to track changes, revert to previous versions if necessary, and manage different branches of development, ensuring code stability and history tracking.
  • community
    With millions of developers and a vast repository of open-source projects, GitHub fosters a robust community where users can contribute to projects, seek help, share knowledge, and collaborate broadly.
  • availability
    GitHub is a cloud-based platform, which means that projects are accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, providing flexibility and convenience to developers globally.
  • documentation
    GitHub allows for comprehensive project documentation through README files, wikis, and GitHub Pages, making it easier for users to understand project context and contribute effectively.

Possible disadvantages of GitHub

  • cost
    While GitHub offers free plans, more advanced features and private repositories come at a cost, which might be a barrier for some individuals or small teams.
  • steep_learning_curve
    For newcomers, especially those unfamiliar with Git, the learning curve can be quite steep, making it challenging to utilize all of GitHub's features effectively.
  • privacy_concerns
    Given its expansive, open nature, users must be cautious with sensitive or proprietary information. Even with private repositories, there is a latent concern over data privacy and security.
  • interface_complexity
    The user interface, while powerful, can be overwhelming and complex for beginners or those not deeply familiar with version control concepts.
  • performance_issues
    Occasionally, GitHub may experience downtime or performance issues, which can disrupt workflow and prevent access to repositories temporarily.
  • limited_storage
    GitHub imposes limitations on storage space and file size within repositories, which can be restrictive for projects requiring large datasets or binaries.

Phabricator features and specs

  • Comprehensive Toolset
    Phabricator offers a wide range of tools including code review, repository hosting, bug tracking, project management, and more, all integrated into one platform.
  • Customizability
    Users can customize workflows, forms, and other aspects to fit the specific needs of their projects.
  • Powerful Code Review
    Phabricator provides advanced code review features like inline comments, custom fields, and audit trails, making it a robust tool for maintaining code quality.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source, Phabricator allows organizations to host their instance, providing control over data and customizations without licensing fees.
  • Multi-repository Support
    It supports multiple version control systems (Git, Mercurial, and Subversion) and allows managing multiple repositories within the same project.

Possible disadvantages of Phabricator

  • Complex Setup
    Phabricator can be challenging to install and configure, requiring a good level of technical knowledge and infrastructure.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    New users might find it difficult to navigate and use all the features due to its extensive functionalities and less intuitive user interface.
  • Limited Third-Party Integrations
    Compared to other platforms, Phabricator has fewer integrations with third-party tools, which might be a limitation for some teams.
  • Dependency on Phacility's Future
    Phacility announced that they will cease operations, which means the future maintenance and updates of Phabricator could be uncertain.
  • Performance Issues
    For large-scale projects with many users and repositories, Phabricator may experience performance issues and could require significant resources to run smoothly.

GitHub videos

How to do coding peer reviews with Github

More videos:

Phabricator videos

Phabricator code review session at Wikimedia Hackathon Zurich

More videos:

  • Review - Phabricator and Lando Brownbag July 2 2018
  • Review - Nizameddin Ordulu - Phabricator: An all-in-one tool for code review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to GitHub and Phabricator)
Software Development
97 97%
3% 3
Code Collaboration
94 94%
6% 6
Git
91 91%
9% 9
Developer Tools
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 GitHub and Phabricator

GitHub Reviews

  1. Reinhard
    · Boss at CLOUD Meister ·
    perfect 4 open Source

Best Forums for Developers to Join in 2025
GitHub Discussions is a communication forum for the community around an open source or internal project. Discussions enable fluid, open conversation in a public forum. Discussions are transparent and accessible, but they are not related to code.
Source: www.notchup.com
The Top 10 GitHub Alternatives
However, like any (human) product, the platform has its limits, downsides, and critics. GitHub has been barred by certain governments, and even if that isn’t exactly the company’s fault, the users are the ones limited from pushing their code. Another criticism concerns the price tag: some users have pointed out that GitHub’s pricing model is too inflexible. Moreover, some...
Top 10 Developer Communities You Should Explore
GitHub also has an extensive API that allows it to integrate workflows seamlessly. Continuous integration, code review tools, and project management features make GitHub an essential tool for any developer, and the community aspect adds a layer of connectivity that enriches the overall experience.
Source: www.qodo.ai
Top 7 GitHub Alternatives You Should Know (2024)
FAQs: Are there any cloud source repositories similar to GitHub?Is there a free alternative to GitHub?
Source: snappify.com
Best GitHub Alternatives for Developers in 2023
We may earn from vendors via affiliate links or sponsorships. This might affect product placement on our site, but not the content of our reviews. See our Terms of Use for details. Looking for an alternative to GitHub? Check out our in-depth list of the best GitHub competitors, covering their features, pricing, pros, cons, and more.

Phabricator Reviews

We have no reviews of Phabricator yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, GitHub seems to be a lot more popular than Phabricator. While we know about 2249 links to GitHub, we've tracked only 3 mentions of Phabricator. 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.

GitHub mentions (2249)

  • 🔐How to Fix GitHub Authentication Failed: Switch from Password to Token or SSH
    Fatal: HttpRequestException encountered. An error occurred while sending the request. Username for 'https://github.com': abcd Remote: Support for password authentication was removed on August 13, 2021. Fatal: Authentication failed for 'https://github.com/test/cr/. - Source: dev.to / 2 days ago
  • How to Create Your Free Landing Page
    Step 1. Go to GitHub and create an account if you don’t have one. - Source: dev.to / 2 days ago
  • Uploading to GitHub Pages: A Step-by-Step Guide
    A GitHub account (create one at https://github.com/ if you don't have one). - Source: dev.to / 3 days ago
  • Day 2 Advance git commands
    Create a repository on GitHub Go to https://github.com. - Source: dev.to / 5 days ago
  • Most Effective Approaches for Debugging Applications
    When a bug disrupts a production environment, reverting to a known working state can minimize user impact and provide a stable baseline for investigation. Version control systems like Git or GitHub enable precise rollbacks, preserving the ability to analyze faulty code. A 2022 JetBrains survey found that 92% of developers use Git, with 65% citing rollbacks as a key benefit for debugging. - Source: dev.to / 6 days ago
View more

Phabricator mentions (3)

  • Migrating from Phabricator to Azure Devops. Have some questions.
    My company has used Phabricator, which is an alternative to Azure Devops, for about 5 years. A few days ago they announced that the project won't be maintained anymore, so we are looking into alternatives. We have around 50 devs+product folks that use Phabricator at the moment. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Is there any "Unified HUB SOlution" in this Microservices era?
    You also mention Gitlab is close to what you would like - maybe Phabricator is even closer: https://phacility.com/phabricator/. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Is there an alternative to open project with the next characteristics ?
    Https://phacility.com/phabricator/ I think checks most of those boxes, maybe all. Source: about 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

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

GitLab - Create, review and deploy code together with GitLab open source git repo management software | GitLab

BitBucket - Bitbucket is a free code hosting site for Mercurial and Git. Manage your development with a hosted wiki, issue tracker and source code.

VS Code - Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

Redmine - Flexible project management web application

Treehouse - Treehouse is an award-winning online platform that teaches people how to code.

Jira - The #1 software development tool used by agile teams. Jira Software is built for every member of your software team to plan, track, and release great software.