Git Desktop Clients

(for MacOS)

All the below support history/branch/stash browsing, viewing changes, staging changes per-file or per-line, commits (with amend), and various branch operations (eg. drag-and-drop to merge).

Github Desktop

Github Desktop

  • Does not stage changes directly in underlying git, just keeps it in-app
  • Does not appear to have a tree view option for files
  • Branch list does not display incoming/outgoing commit counts to the tracking branches
  • No tabbed view, just a quick switcher

Fork

Fork

  • No “pull-request” level github integration that I can see
  • Most compact tree view

Git Tower

Git%20Tower

  • Does not separate Unstaged vs Staged files, UI mirrors 2-column git status output
  • No syntax highlighting in diff view

Kraken

Kraken

  • Defaults to a very wide commit history panel, need to click individual files to switch to diff view
  • Tree views collapsed by default, either use path view or get used to Expand All
  • Awkward per-line stage/unstage behaviour (staging files or hunks is fine)
  • Does not pin the default branch (master) to the top of the branch list