The Best Gerrit Code Review Alternatives for Enhanced Collaboration

Gerrit Code Review is a powerful web-based system facilitating online code reviews for Git projects, known for its side-by-side change display and inline commenting. It simplifies project maintenance by allowing authorized users to submit changes directly to the master Git repository. However, various teams and projects may have unique requirements that Gerrit doesn't perfectly fulfill, leading to a search for a more suitable Gerrit Code Review alternative. This article explores some of the top platforms that offer similar or expanded capabilities.

Top Gerrit Code Review Alternatives

While Gerrit Code Review excels in its niche, a diverse ecosystem of tools provides compelling alternatives, each with its own strengths in features, platform compatibility, and community support. Let's delve into some of the best options available.

GitHub

GitHub is a widely recognized web-based hosting service for projects leveraging the Git revision control system. It stands out as a robust Gerrit Code Review alternative, offering extensive features like file versioning, Git integration, unlimited private repos (for certain plans), bug reporting, and two-factor authentication. Available on Freemium tiers for Mac, Windows, Web, Android, Windows S, Android Tablet, and BSD, GitHub provides a comprehensive platform for code collaboration and project management.

GitLab

GitLab offers a complete web-based Git repository management solution, integrating a wiki, code reviews, issue tracking, and a robust CI/CD pipeline. As an Open Source platform available on Freemium tiers for Linux, Web, BSD, and Self-Hosted environments, GitLab is an excellent Gerrit Code Review alternative for teams seeking an all-in-one DevOps platform. Key features include unlimited private repos, continuous builds, continuous deployment, and built-in CI, providing a seamless development workflow.

Bitbucket

Bitbucket is a popular code collaboration and version control platform, providing hosted (freemium) options for up to 5 users and a commercial self-hosted solution. Supporting both Git and Mercurial, it's a strong Gerrit Code Review alternative, especially for teams looking for flexibility in version control systems. Available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, and Self-Hosted platforms, Bitbucket features include private repositories, Jira integration, and real-time collaboration, streamlining the development process.

Phabricator

Phabricator is a collection of Open Source web applications designed to help software companies build better software. It's a comprehensive Free Gerrit Code Review alternative, offering applications for code review, an included wiki, integrated chat, Kanban boards, and task management. Available on Mac, Linux, Web, BSD, and Self-Hosted environments, Phabricator integrates seamlessly with Git, Mercurial, and SVN, making it a versatile choice for diverse development teams.

Review Board

Review Board is a web-based collaborative code review tool, available as Free Open Source software under the MIT License. It serves as a focused Gerrit Code Review alternative for teams primarily seeking robust code review functionalities. Installable on any server running Apache, Review Board provides a straightforward and effective platform for code inspections.

Codebrag

Codebrag is presented as a simple code review tool, making it an accessible Free Open Source Gerrit Code Review alternative for teams looking for a less complex solution. Available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Self-Hosted platforms, Codebrag focuses specifically on the code review aspect, providing a streamlined experience for developers.

The choice of a Gerrit Code Review alternative depends heavily on your team's specific needs, budget, and existing infrastructure. Whether you prioritize an all-in-one DevOps platform like GitLab, a widely adopted hosting service like GitHub, or a specialized code review tool like Review Board, exploring these options will help you find the best fit for enhancing your code collaboration and project management workflows.