Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

SourceHut VS GitHub

Compare SourceHut VS GitHub and see what are their differences

SourceHut logo SourceHut

Git and Mercurial hosting, mailing lists, bug tracking, continuous integration, and more

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.
  • SourceHut Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-17
  • GitHub Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-05

GitHub

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

SourceHut features and specs

  • Minimalistic Design
    SourceHut prides itself on simplicity and a minimalist interface, which makes it easy to navigate and reduces distractions.
  • Highly Configurable CI
    SourceHut offers a highly configurable continuous integration (CI) system that allows for a great deal of customization in build pipelines.
  • Focus on Free Software
    SourceHut places a strong emphasis on free and open-source software, aligning with the values of many developers in the community.
  • Fast Performance
    The lightweight nature of SourceHut's web interface enhances load times and overall performance.
  • Email-based Workflow
    The platform offers a unique email-based workflow for code review and patches, which can be more efficient for some developers.
  • Privacy-focused
    SourceHut emphasizes user privacy, avoiding tracking and invasive data collection.

Possible disadvantages of SourceHut

  • Learning Curve
    The unique email-based workflow and minimalist design might have a steeper learning curve for new users.
  • Lack of Popular Integrations
    Unlike some other platforms, SourceHut does not support as many third-party integrations out of the box.
  • Paid Service
    SourceHut is primarily a paid service, which might be a barrier for some users, especially those looking for free options.
  • Limited Community Support
    As a relatively new and niche platform, SourceHut has a smaller user community, which can limit the availability of community support and resources.
  • Sparse Documentation
    The documentation available might be considered sparse compared to more established platforms, making it harder for new users to get started.
  • Fewer Built-in Features
    SourceHut has fewer built-in features compared to giants like GitHub or GitLab, which offer extensive integrated tools and services.

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.

SourceHut videos

System Crafters Live! - What is GNU? • Is Sourcehut the future? • Q&A

More videos:

  • Review - Building Natalie on OpenBSD with Sourcehut

GitHub videos

How to do coding peer reviews with Github

More videos:

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to SourceHut and GitHub)
Git
10 10%
90% 90
Software Development
1 1%
99% 99
Code Collaboration
6 6%
94% 94
Project Management
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using SourceHut and GitHub. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

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

SourceHut Reviews

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

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.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, GitHub seems to be a lot more popular than SourceHut. While we know about 2259 links to GitHub, we've tracked only 58 mentions of SourceHut. 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.

SourceHut mentions (58)

  • Forgejo: A self-hosted lightweight software forge
    b) The barrier to create accounts on yet another platform to contribute. In that regards I find the original way of just using email's to send patches just such a brilliant idea, because at least it eliminates my second point completely. That's why I think sourcehut [0] is such a nice idea at least in theory. Though now you have to teach people not only how to use "git" but also hot to use "git" via email :D... - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Ask HN: Anyonne tried alternative company models (like a co-op) for SaaS?
    Https://sourcehut.org/ is a sort of coop open source project and a SaaS with an interesting model. There is also https://opencollective.com/ which provides a platform for collective ownership of an online business. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Why GitHub Won
    If you just want an online repository, go with Sourcehut (https://sourcehut.org/). - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Ask HN: What's Happenning with SourceHut?
    For anyone coming across this, a new page has been set up at https://sourcehut.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Using Git Offline
    Do you know SourceHut? https://sourcehut.org/ I would be really curious to have your opinion about it as compared to how it was 14 years ago. I feel like SourceHut does a really good job helping on the tooling side (it's super easy to setup a mailing list). Also I find Aerc very cool for that. The author describes it here: https://drewdevault.com/2022/07/25/Code-review-with-aerc.html. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
View more

GitHub mentions (2259)

  • Unveiling Beerware License: A Holistic Exploration of Minimalist Open Source Licensing
    Today, the open source ecosystem has expanded. From small utilities on GitHub to innovative blockchain projects like the Open Compensation Token License (OCTL), the market now has diverse licensing needs. In this context, the Beerware License offers a refreshing counterpoint by emphasizing openness and community trust over exhaustive legal protection. Discussions on platforms such as Hacker News and Stack Overflow... - Source: dev.to / 1 day ago
  • Kickstarting a .NET Solution from Scratch with the CLI
    Mkdir DarkMatterApp Cd DarkMatterApp Dotnet new sln Mkdir src Dotnet new list # (OPTIONAL, to see what project types are available to create) Dotnet new webapi -o src/DarkMatterApp.API Dotnet sln add src/DarkMatterApp.API/DarkMatterApp.API.csproj Mkdir tests Dotnet new xunit -o tests/DarkMatterApp.API.Tests Dotnet sln add tests/DarkMatterApp.API.Tests/DarkMatterApp.API.Tests.csproj Echo "# Dark Matter... - Source: dev.to / 2 days ago
  • Versioning Apps with SemVer and Git Tags
    For GitHub, the link https://github.com///compare/... Shows the commits between two tags. - Source: dev.to / 16 days ago
  • Unveiling PHP License 3.0: A Comprehensive Summary, Exploration and Review
    We invite you to join the discussion and explore further on platforms like GitHub and Twitter, where the conversation around open source funding and licensing continues to evolve. - Source: dev.to / 5 days ago
  • Next.js Setup Guide for Developers
    Git remote add origin https://github.com/username/next-hello-world.git. - Source: dev.to / 5 days ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing SourceHut and GitHub, 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

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

GitBucket - GitBucket is the easily installable open-source GitHub clone written with Scala.

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