Darcs vs GitUI
Darcs
darcs.netGitUI
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Darcs | GitUI |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Version Control Software | 8.8 (#3) | 8.7 (#4) |
| Platforms | The download page lists binaries for Windows and Intel Mac OS X, with Linux and BSD distribution packages or source-build instructions also described. | The README lists release binaries for Linux, macOS, and Windows, and package installation through Termux on Android. |
| Support | The FAQ directs unanswered questions to the darcs-users mailing list or the #darcs IRC channel. | The README welcomes support and sponsors and invites people to become co-maintainers. |
| What it does | Darcs is a free and open-source, cross-platform version control system focused on changes (patches) rather than snapshots. | GitUI is a Rust terminal interface intended to provide GUI-like Git workflows inside a terminal. |
Plans
In their own words
Darcs
Darcs is a free, open-source version control system for Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted deployment. It organizes work around patches, or changes, instead of snapshots. Every working directory is its own repository, allowing users to record changes offline and push them to another repository later. Interactive commands let users select changes for a patch, pull individual changes, and edit or discard a patch before sending it. Branching works by pushing and pulling between repositories, with each repository treated as a branch. The darcs send command supports email collaboration, so maintainers can accept or reject proposed patches without granting commit privileges. The project names hub.darcs.net and darcsweb for repository hosting. Darcs is written in Haskell and can be installed through Cabal, Stack, Nix, platform binaries, or a source tarball. It is volunteer-run and a Software Freedom Conservancy member.
GitUI
GitUI provides a Git GUI-style workflow inside a terminal, controlled with the keyboard and supported by context-based help. Users can inspect changes and commit, amend, stage, unstage, revert, or reset at file, hunk, or line level. It also supports saving, applying, popping, dropping, and inspecting stashes. Branch tools cover creation, renaming, deletion, checkout, and remote branches, alongside pushing and fetching. Users can browse or search the commit log, inspect committed diffs, and work with submodules. Commit workflows support several Git hooks; GPG commit signing is listed with shortcomings. GitUI is free under the MIT License, which includes an as-is warranty disclaimer. Listed platforms are Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows, with desktop platform support listed for Linux, macOS, and Windows. The project README describes GitUI as beta and notes that bugs or missing features may occur, while also describing it as reasonably stable for personal use. It does not fully replace the Git shell, lacks sparse repository support, and requires explicit configuration of an HTTPS credential helper.