Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Gitolite VS GitHub Enterprise

Compare Gitolite VS GitHub Enterprise and see what are their differences

Gitolite logo Gitolite

Setup git hosting on a central server, with fine-grained access control

GitHub Enterprise logo GitHub Enterprise

The on-premises version of GitHub, which you can deploy and manage in your own, secure environment
  • Gitolite Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-16
  • GitHub Enterprise Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-22

Gitolite features and specs

  • Access Control
    Gitolite provides fine-grained access control over Git repositories, allowing administrators to set permissions at the branch, tag, and repository level, which enhances security and management.
  • Lightweight and Simple
    As a server-side application, Gitolite is lightweight and does not require a complex setup or configuration, making it easier to install and maintain on existing Git servers.
  • Flexible Configuration
    Gitolite offers flexible configuration options through straightforward text files, allowing administrators to easily manage repositories and user permissions.
  • SSH-based Authentication
    Utilizing SSH keys for authentication, Gitolite enhances security and eliminates the need for separate password management for accessing the Git server.
  • Open Source
    Gitolite is an open-source tool, which means it is free to use and can be modified according to specific needs, contributing to community-driven development and improvement.

Possible disadvantages of Gitolite

  • Learning Curve
    Gitolite has a steeper learning curve for users who are not familiar with command-line operations and managing permissions via text file configurations.
  • Limited User Interface
    Gitolite lacks a graphical user interface, which can be a limitation for users who prefer or require a visual management tool for handling repositories and permissions.
  • Dependency on SSH
    Since Gitolite relies heavily on SSH for authentication and access, any issues or misconfigurations with SSH can lead to connectivity problems and access issues.
  • Feature Set Restrictions
    Gitolite might not provide all the features of more comprehensive Git server solutions, such as integrated code review, project management tools, or web-based interfaces.
  • Maintenance Overhead
    Administrators must manually handle updates and configurations, which might require additional effort compared to solutions that provide automatic updates and more streamlined management options.

GitHub Enterprise features and specs

  • Scalability
    GitHub Enterprise can handle large teams and repositories, making it suitable for organizations with extensive development needs.
  • Enhanced Security
    Offers advanced security features such as mandatory 2FA, LDAP integration, and SAML single sign-on, providing enterprises with greater control and protection of their codebases.
  • Dedicated Support
    Provides access to GitHub's dedicated support team, offering quicker and more specialized assistance than what is available in the free or lower-tier plans.
  • Compliance and Auditing
    Includes features that aid in compliance with industry standards and auditing capabilities, which are essential for enterprises needing to meet regulatory requirements.
  • On-Premises Deployment
    Allows for on-premises deployment, which is ideal for companies with strict data residency requirements or those that need to integrate tightly with their existing infrastructure.

Possible disadvantages of GitHub Enterprise

  • Cost
    GitHub Enterprise is significantly more expensive than GitHub's other offerings, which might be a barrier for startups or smaller businesses.
  • Complex Setup
    The on-premises version of GitHub Enterprise can have a more complex setup and maintenance process, requiring dedicated IT resources.
  • Overhead
    Enterprises might encounter administrative overhead when managing large teams, including configuring and maintaining various integrations and security settings.
  • Learning Curve
    Users unfamiliar with GitHub may face a learning curve, particularly when navigating the more advanced features of the Enterprise version.
  • Dependency on Network Infrastructure
    The performance and reliability of an on-premises GitHub Enterprise deployment can be affected by the company’s network infrastructure, necessitating reliable hardware and connectivity.

Gitolite videos

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GitHub Enterprise videos

A look at the new GitHub Enterprise

More videos:

  • Review - Bring innovation to work with GitHub Enterprise
  • Review - Running GitHub Enterprise at scale in your organization - GitHub Satellite 2019

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Gitolite and GitHub Enterprise)
Code Collaboration
58 58%
42% 42
Git
55 55%
45% 45
Software Development
58 58%
42% 42
Development
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, GitHub Enterprise should be more popular than Gitolite. It has been mentiond 10 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.

Gitolite mentions (2)

  • Whatever happened to SHA-256 support in Git?
    People also forget about Gitolite, which provides lightweight shared access control around Git+SSH+server-repos. For me it's a much simpler alternative than systems with a heavyweight web UI. Although to be honest I don't know whether Gitolite handles SHA256 hashes (I've never tested it). https://gitolite.com. - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
  • *set Edge as default browser*
    Gitolite is awesome if there's no need for web frontend and easy to setup. Source: about 3 years ago

GitHub Enterprise mentions (10)

  • A checklist and guide to get your repository collaboration-ready
    Internal is a special visibility level used by GitHub Enterprise, allowing anyone inside your organization to see the repository, but nobody in the outside world. We generally suggest this as the default level for company projects that don’t have siloed sensitive information (such as customer-specific data or logic that only a specific group should know about). - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
  • Github Actions to deploy your Terraform code
    If the company you work for has subscribed to Github, you probably benefit from a more substantial offer with additional features (GitHub Team or GitHub Enterprise). - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • hE Is nOT qUaLifIeD!
    Some orgs run GitHub Enterprise on-prem. Set up properly, it's not publicly accessible at all. Source: over 2 years ago
  • hE Is nOT qUaLifIeD!
    I do. My company has an enterprise license and it basically just acts as a private corner of normal public-facing github. Basically like a private repo but instead of being scoped to a single repo it's a full multi-organization scope. All new report default to private, but can be flipped to public if we want to open-source some internal project. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Is there a microsoft TFS equivalent from Github?
    Https://github.com/enterprise you can host it yourself or in the cloud. Source: about 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

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

Gitea - A painless self-hosted Git service

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

Bonobo Git Server - Set up your own self hosted git server on IIS for Windows.

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.

Gitstack - GitStack is a free software that let you setup your own private Git server on Windows.

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