GitHub / GitLab / Bitbucket

Git Hosting Platforms

Platforms provide cloud hosting for repositories plus collaboration features.

The Big Three

GitHub

Features

• Collaborative: Pull requests, code review
• Social: Stars, following developers
• Ecosystem: Massive open source community
• CI/CD: GitHub Actions built-in
• Permissions: Granular access control

Key Concepts

Repositories:

# Clone from GitHub
git clone https://github.com/user/repository.git

Pull Requests:

• Propose changes
• Code review with comments
• Merge via UI

Issues:

• Bug tracking
• Feature requests
• Project planning

GitHub Actions

Automated workflows (CI/CD):

# .github/workflows/test.yml
name: Tests
on: [push, pull_request]
jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - run: npm test

GitHub Organizations

For team repositories:

# Organization repo
git clone https://github.com/mycompany/project.git
 
# Team members with roles:
# Owner, Maintainer, Member, Guest

GitLab

Features

• Self-hosted: Control your own server
• All-in-one: Project management + CI/CD + security
• Enterprise: Advanced permissions, audit logs
• DevOps: Built-in container registry

Key Differences from GitHub

Merge Requests (like PRs):

# Similar workflow but called MR
# More advanced approval rules
# Squash commits option built-in

Runners (like Actions):

# .gitlab-ci.yml
test:
  script:
    - npm test
  runner:
    - docker

Namespaces:

• Groups (like GitHub Orgs)
• Better nested structure

Strengths

• ✅ Self-hosted option
• ✅ Better for enterprise
• ✅ More features out-of-box
• ✅ Container registry included

Bitbucket

Features

• Jira Integration: Seamless with project management
• Pipelines: Built-in CI/CD
• Permissions: Repository-level access control
• Code insights: Analytics and metrics

When to Use

• ✅ Already using Jira
• ✅ Enterprise Atlassian stack
• ✅ Team of 10-1000 people
• ❌ Large open source projects
• ❌ Smaller startups

Comparing Platforms

Cost

For Open Source

GitHub: Easiest, largest community, most stars

# Get visibility, contributors, stars
# Main platform for open source

For Enterprise

GitLab: Best if self-hosting needed

# Run on your servers
# All company data stays internal

For Teams with Jira

Bitbucket: Seamless integration

# Pull requests link to Jira issues
# Dashboard integrated

Common Workflows Across Platforms

Creating Repository

GitHub:

1. Dashboard → New Repository
2. Initialize with README
3. Clone to computer

GitLab:

1. Projects → New Project
2. Blank project or import
3. Clone to computer

Adding Collaborators

GitHub:

• Settings → Collaborators
• Add by username
• Choose role (Pull/Push/Admin)

GitLab:

• Project → Members
• Add user with role
• Owner/Maintainer/Developer/Guest

Setting Branch Protection

# Prevent pushing directly to main
 
# GitHub:
# Settings → Branches → Main → Add rule
# - Require pull request reviews
# - Require status checks to pass
 
# GitLab:
# Project → Protected branches → Main
# - Require code owner approval
# - Require all discussions resolved

Migration Between Platforms

GitHub to GitLab

# 1. Mirror the repo (keep history)
git clone --mirror https://github.com/user/repo.git
 
# 2. Push to GitLab
cd repo.git
git push --mirror https://gitlab.com/user/repo.git
 
# 3. Clone normally and work
git clone https://gitlab.com/user/repo.git

GitLab to GitHub

# Same process, swap URLs

Community and Ecosystem

GitHub Advantages

• ✅ Largest open source community
• ✅ Most packages (npm, GitHub Packages)
• ✅ Easiest to find help
• ✅ Most integrations
• ✅ Best for portfolio/resume

GitLab Advantages

• ✅ Can self-host
• ✅ More features built-in
• ✅ Better for DevOps teams
• ✅ All-in-one platform

Bitbucket Advantages

• ✅ Best Jira integration
• ✅ Enterprise support
• ✅ Integrated pipelines
• ✅ Team-focused

Choosing a Platform

Are you on Atlassian stack?
├─ Yes → Bitbucket
└─ No
    Do you need self-hosting?
    ├─ Yes → GitLab
    └─ No
        Building open source?
        ├─ Yes → GitHub
        └─ No → GitHub (most popular)

Best Practices

Repository Settings

• ✅ Add .gitignore at creation
• ✅ Add README.md with description
• ✅ Add LICENSE file
• ✅ Enable branch protection on main
• ✅ Require code review before merge
• ✅ Add CONTRIBUTING guide

Organization

• ✅ Clear branch naming
• ✅ Consistent commit messages
• ✅ Regular code reviews
• ✅ Automated testing
• ✅ Automated deployment

Security

• ✅ Never commit secrets
• ✅ Use .env for configuration
• ✅ Review contributor permissions
• ✅ Enable two-factor authentication
• ✅ Rotate credentials regularly

Future of Platforms

Trends:

• AI-assisted: Copilot suggestions
• Security: Dependency scanning
• Performance: Container registries
• Collaboration: Better code review
• DevOps: Integrated deployment

All platforms converging on similar features.

Tips

✓ GitHub for open source and community
✓ GitLab for self-hosted/enterprise
✓ Bitbucket for Jira teams
✓ Use branch protection rules
✓ Automate testing and deployment
✓ Require code review
✓ Keep README up to date