GitKraken
Powerful visual Git client for developers and teams
About GitKraken
GitKraken is a cross-platform Git GUI client that makes version control intuitive through its legendary commit graph, built-in merge conflict editor, and team collaboration features. Originally launched in 2015 by Axosoft (now rebranded as GitKraken), it supports Windows, macOS, and Linux, integrating with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, and Azure DevOps. GitKraken's DevEx platform also includes GitLens for VS Code, a CLI tool, and cloud-based workspaces, helping developers visualize complex Git histories, resolve conflicts efficiently, and streamline code review workflows.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Intuitive visual commit graph makes complex Git histories easy to navigate
- Built-in merge conflict editor eliminates the need for external diff tools
- Cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, and Linux with consistent UI
- Deep integrations with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, and Azure DevOps
- Interactive rebase with drag-and-drop simplifies commit history management
- GitLens extension included for VS Code users at no extra cost
- Free Pro access for students via GitHub Student Developer Pack
Cons
- Free plan limited to public repositories only, making it impractical for most professional use
- Can become resource-heavy and slow with very large repositories
- Some users report occasional instability and lost unstaged changes
- Pricing adds up quickly for larger teams compared to free alternatives like Sourcetree
- AI features feel underdeveloped and distract from core Git functionality improvements
Key Features
Visual Commit Graph
Interactive, color-coded commit graph that makes complex branch structures easy to understand, with drag-and-drop merge, rebase, and cherry-pick operations.
Built-in Merge Conflict Editor
Side-by-side diff view with inline conflict resolution, allowing developers to resolve merge conflicts directly within the client without switching tools.
Launchpad
Centralized dashboard that surfaces open pull requests, issues, and work-in-progress items to help developers stay focused and prioritize tasks.
Interactive Rebase
Visual drag-and-drop interface for reordering, squashing, and editing commits during an interactive rebase operation.
Cloud Workspaces
Shared workspaces that allow teams to group repositories together, share configurations, and maintain alignment across distributed development teams.
Git Hosting Integrations
Deep integrations with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, and Azure DevOps for managing pull requests, issues, and CI/CD status directly from the client.
GitLens for VS Code
Included GitLens extension that supercharges VS Code's Git capabilities with blame annotations, file history, and code authorship insights.
AI Commit Messages
AI-powered feature that automatically generates meaningful commit messages by analyzing staged changes, saving time on routine documentation.
Pricing
- Public repositories only
- Basic commit graph
- GitKraken CLI
- GitLens Free for VS Code
- 250,000 AI tokens/week
- Slack and Help Center support
- Private repository access
- Cloud issue tracker integrations
- Launchpad & Cloud Patches
- Up to 25 Cloud Workspace repos
- Multiple profiles
- 1,000,000 AI tokens/week
- Email support (3 business days)
- Everything in Pro
- Self-hosted Git integrations
- Single domain SSO
- Team Launchpad & management
- Up to 250 Cloud Workspace repos
- Priority support (1 business day)
- Everything in Teams
- Multi-domain SSO
- Customer success manager
- GitKraken Insights analytics
- Admin Conflict Prevention
- 2,000,000 AI tokens/week
- 12-hour support response
- Git training & certification
Best For
Visual learners who prefer GUI-based
Visual learners who prefer GUI-based Git workflows over command line
Teams needing a unified Git
Teams needing a unified Git client with built-in merge conflict resolution
Developers managing complex branching strategies
Developers managing complex branching strategies across multiple repositories
Open-source contributors who want a
Open-source contributors who want a free, powerful Git visualization tool
Organizations requiring SSO, team management,
Organizations requiring SSO, team management, and audit capabilities for Git workflows
