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Mercurial SCM VS Git for Windows

Compare Mercurial SCM VS Git for Windows and see what are their differences

Mercurial SCM logo Mercurial SCM

Mercurial is a free, distributed source control management tool.

Git for Windows logo Git for Windows

We bring the awesome Git SCM to Windows
  • Mercurial SCM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-17
  • Git for Windows Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-02

Mercurial SCM features and specs

  • Performance
    Mercurial is known for its speed and performance, especially with large repositories and complex histories. It is designed to be fast and efficient, which makes it suitable for large-scale projects.
  • Simplicity
    Mercurial has a simpler command set compared to other SCMs like Git. The straightforwardness of its commands can make it easier to learn and use, particularly for new users.
  • Cross-platform Support
    Mercurial is a cross-platform tool that works well on a variety of operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux. This makes it versatile for development teams using different environments.
  • Strong Documentation
    Mercurial offers comprehensive and well-structured documentation which can be very helpful for both beginners and advanced users. The documentation covers a wide range of topics from basics to more complex usage.
  • Branching Model
    Mercurial uses a simpler and more intuitive branching model compared to Git. This can make branch handling more straightforward, reducing the complexity for developers.

Possible disadvantages of Mercurial SCM

  • Smaller Community
    Mercurial has a smaller user base and community compared to Git. This might result in fewer third-party tools, plugins, and resources available for Mercurial.
  • Market Share
    Git has largely dominated the market share for SCM tools. This might make Mercurial less attractive for enterprises and developers who prefer widely-adopted tools with broad industry support.
  • Tool Integration
    Some software tools and services offer better integration with Git than with Mercurial. This can limit the choices for CI/CD pipelines or other development tools that are often built with Git compatibility first.
  • Complex History Management
    While Mercurial’s simpler commands are an advantage, it can make some complex history management tasks more challenging compared to Git, which has a more powerful set of tools for such purposes.
  • Feature Lag
    New features and updates in source control management tend to appear in Git before they make their way to Mercurial, if at all. This lag can be a disadvantage for teams looking to use the latest advancements in SCM.

Git for Windows features and specs

  • Familiarity
    Git for Windows offers users familiar with Unix-like environments the ability to use Git in a similar fashion via Git Bash, providing a seamless transition.
  • Integration
    Git for Windows integrates well with IDEs like Visual Studio Code and other development tools, streamlining the development process for Windows users.
  • GUI Options
    The inclusion of tools like Git GUI provides a graphical interface for users who prefer not to use command-line tools, making Git more accessible to beginners.
  • Portable Git
    Git for Windows offers a portable version, which allows users to carry Git on a USB stick and use it on any Windows machine without installation.
  • Performance
    Optimized for Windows, Git for Windows takes advantage of platform-specific enhancements and performs efficiently in Windows environments.

Possible disadvantages of Git for Windows

  • Learning Curve
    New users might face a steep learning curve when first using Git Bash, especially if they are not familiar with Unix-like command-line interfaces.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running Git for Windows may use more system resources compared to native Git on Unix-like systems, which can be a concern on older or less powerful hardware.
  • Inconsistent Experience
    There can be minor inconsistencies and differences in behavior between Git for Windows and Git on Unix-like systems, which may cause confusion for users working in mixed environments.
  • Tool Maintenance
    Managing and keeping up-to-date with tools like Git Bash and Git GUI can add additional maintenance overhead for users and administrators.
  • Limited Support
    While Git for Windows is well-supported, some third-party tools and scripts designed for Git on Unix-like systems might not work properly or require adaptation, leading to potential compatibility issues.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Mercurial SCM and Git for Windows)
Git
67 67%
33% 33
Code Collaboration
65 65%
35% 35
Git Tools
100 100%
0% 0
SSH
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Git for Windows seems to be a lot more popular than Mercurial SCM. While we know about 86 links to Git for Windows, we've tracked only 2 mentions of Mercurial SCM. 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.

Mercurial SCM mentions (2)

  • Why so rude?
    Many people have asked me to write a blog post on my preference of Mercurial over Git and so far I've refused and will continue doing so for the foreseeable future. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Mercurial Paris Conference will take place on April 05-07 2023 in Paris France. Call for papers are open!
    Mercurial Paris Conference 2023 is a professional and technical conference around mercurial scm, a free, distributed source control management tool. Source: over 2 years ago

Git for Windows mentions (86)

  • How to Set Up Your Git Workspace on a PC
    Download Git Bash. This is a tool developers use to write Git commands on a PC. I use this on my computer. Just go to gitforwindows.org and click the download button to start downloading the file. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Linux as co-operative Windows process
    At work when I work on Windows (currently stuck using Mac for the first time in my career at work), but on Windows I would use https://gitforwindows.org/ which also uses msys2 and that is a very popularly supported free product using msys2 on Windows. If you ever forget the URL, search for "git bash for windows". - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Azure DevOps: Version Control Using Git and VS Code
    Git installed and configured on your machine. For Windows, For Mac. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Streamline Your Smart Contract Development with Foundry
    How to install?? Before going further make sure you have installed GIT BASH because these commands will not work on windows terminal. Before installing foundry we need to install latest version of the rust. To install rust run below command in your bash terminal. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Solving the Worst Problem in Programming Education: Windows
    I use windows, mac and linux basically interchangeably for coding. For windows, I install the Git Bash package [https://gitforwindows.org/] and then just use chocolatey as a package manager for stuff like python and node.js. Bash gives me a completely functional commandline with my C drive mounted as `/c`, and I can write code using VSCode. I don't really have issues. With this setup, it operates indistinguishably... - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Mercurial SCM and Git for Windows, you can also consider the following products

Git - Git is a free and open source version control system designed to handle everything from small to very large projects with speed and efficiency. It is easy to learn and lightweight with lighting fast performance that outclasses competitors.

Xfce-Terminal - Terminal is a modern terminal emulator for the Unix/Linux desktop - primarily for the Xfce desktop...

Atlassian Bitbucket Server - Atlassian Bitbucket Server is a scalable collaborative Git solution.

Tabby.sh - Tabby is a free and open source SSH, local and Telnet terminal with everything you'll ever need.

GitHub Desktop - GitHub Desktop is a seamless way to contribute to projects on GitHub and GitHub Enterprise.

Cool Retro Term - Terminal emulator which mimics the look and feel of the old cathode tube screens, designed for...