Atlassian SourceTree is a fantastic free Mac client for managing Git repositories.
A few weeks back, I decided to take the plunge and start using Git on a new project rather than my humble preference of Subversion.
I’ve always liked keeping my development workflow tight within Coda but, having heard several suggestions to separate the process between coding and version control, I asked around for suggestions of free Git tools so I could try before I buy.
Cole pointed me to Atlassian’s Bitbucket – a worthy alternative to Github which currently charges for private repositories. (I’ve nothing against Github doing this – I just wanted to test the waters before investing in it). The user experience is extremely straight forward for those relatively new to the workflow. The repository configuration wizard is brilliant and has you setup in minutes.
To accompany Bitbucket, Atlassian (naturally) recommend their own free Mac client, SourceTree.
There are many Mac clients available for managing Git repos but, as someone always keen to try new things, I thought I’d give this one a go. It did not disappoint.
Again, I was up and running within minutes; adding, committing, publishing like the best of them. SourceTree connects with your BitBucket and Github accounts for seamless integration, as well as scan your local machine for existing repositories.
Managing repositories with SourceTree couldn’t be any easier. I’m not scared of the command line but I do find it a slow process when working around complicated sites. SourceTree relieves me of that added stress.
All in all, I’m glad I took the leap into Git, BitBucket and SourceTree. It certainly improves my workflow with the added reassurance of stable version control.