Alternatives to Git in 2024: What Every Developer Must Know
Tags: git, mercurial
Published: 2024-03-26 18:50:31

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While Git remains a popular powerhouse in version control, recognizing situations where alternatives might excel is crucial.  Let's dive into reasons to consider broadening your version control horizons in 2024:

**Challenges with Git**

* **Steep Learning Curve:** Git's extensive commands can be overwhelming for beginners or less technically inclined team members.
* **Scaling Issues:** Extremely large projects (like Facebook's monorepo) can strain Git's performance limits.
* **Code-centric Focus:** Git shines with code, but projects heavily involving large datasets or non-textual assets may benefit from specialized solutions.

**Promising Alternatives**

* **Mercurial (Hg):**  Prioritizes user-friendliness with a streamlined interface and workflow. Well-suited to smaller teams or projects seeking simplicity.
* **Fossil:**  A unique system integrating version control, wiki, bug tracking, and forums.  Perfect for projects where heavy documentation and collaboration are key.
* **Pijul:**  Based on patch theory, Pijul aims to improve upon Git's merge handling and historical tracking. Its potential is compelling, though adoption remains less widespread than established options.
* **Subversion (SVN):**  A classic centralized VCS favoring a linear workflow.  Can be ideal when strict control and less focus on complex branching are desired.

**The Facebook Example**

Facebook's decision to leave Git sheds light on challenges it can face in certain scenarios:

* **Scaling Limitations:** Their massive monorepo pushed Git's limits, hindering developer productivity.
* **Workflow Needs:**  Facebook sought stronger centralized control and custom workflows, which Git's decentralized nature doesn't easily support. 

**Facebook's Solution:** Initially, they migrated to Mercurial for its better handling of large repositories. Eventually, they created their own system, "Sapling", tailored to their specific needs.

**Key Takeaways**

* **Extreme Scale:**  Facebook demonstrates Git's potential struggles at extraordinary scales uncommon for most development teams.
* **Specific Requirements:**  Their unique workflow heavily influenced their decision.
* **Context is Key:** The "best" version control depends heavily on your project's requirements.

**Git vs. Mercurial: Common Differences**

| Feature        | Git                                  | Mercurial                                |
|----------------|--------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| Philosophy     |  Flexibility, powerful                  |  Simplicity, ease-of-use                 |
| Command Structure | Complex, more granular control           |  Simpler, more intuitive                 |
| Branching      |  Lightweight, easy to create             |  Branches are heavier, intentional decision |
| History        |  Stores changes as snapshots             | Stores changes as changesets           |

**Choosing in 2024: Factors to Consider**

* **Team Dynamics:** Favor simplicity? Mercurial offers an easier onboarding process.
* **Project Nature:**  Do you often work with large datasets or non-text assets?
* **Collaboration Style:** Complex merges a pain point? Pijul's theory could be interesting.
* **Workflow Needs:** Does a centralized model like Subversion better align with your team's structure?

**The Takeaway**

Git is a strong standard, yet understanding the value of alternatives is empowering. Explore the landscape to find the system that best facilitates your team's success!

**References**

1. **Mercurial SCM:** [https://www.mercurial-scm.org/](https://www.mercurial-scm.org/)
2. **Fossil:** [https://www.fossil-scm.org/](https://www.fossil-scm.org/)
3. **Pijul:** [https://pijul.org/](https://pijul.org/)
4. **Apache Subversion:** [https://subversion.apache.org/](https://subversion.apache.org/)
5. **Git SCM:** [https://git-scm.com/](https://git-scm.com/)
6. **A Detailed Comparison of Git and Mercurial:** [URL](https://www.scaler.com/topics/git/mercurial-vs-git/)
7. **Facebook Engineering: Sapling Source Control** [URL](https://engineering.fb.com/2022/11/15/open-source/sapling-source-control-scalable/) 

Best,
Kemal Cholovich