GitUI vs lazygit
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A fast terminal interface for working with git, with keyboard-only controls.
Open source · MIT
A simple terminal interface for working with git commands.
The short answer
Choose GitUI if you need…
- Developers who already work in a terminal and want a visual view of git changes
- People working in large repositories where other git GUIs become slow
- Users who want to stage individual hunks or lines without typing git commands
- Anyone on Linux, macOS or Windows who wants a keyboard-driven git tool
Choose lazygit if you need…
- Developers who already use git from the command line and want a faster overview of their repository
- People who prefer working inside a terminal rather than a graphical app
- Users who want to stage, commit, and push changes without memorizing every git flag
Side-by-side
| GitUI | lazygit | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | CLI |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 22.6k | 83.6k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Beginner |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | Rust | Go |
| Last code update | 31 days ago | 5 days ago |
What each one is
GitUI
GitUI is a terminal program that gives you a point-and-click style git interface without leaving the command line. It lets you review changes, stage or revert files, hunks and lines, commit, manage branches and stashes, and browse history. It is written in Rust and aims to stay responsive on large repositories.
lazygit
Lazygit is a terminal user interface (TUI) for git, the version control system used to track changes in code. Instead of typing git commands one by one, you use keyboard-driven panels to view status, stage changes, commit, and push. The README describes it simply as a terminal UI for git commands.
Best for
GitUI
- Developers who already work in a terminal and want a visual view of git changes
- People working in large repositories where other git GUIs become slow
- Users who want to stage individual hunks or lines without typing git commands
- Anyone on Linux, macOS or Windows who wants a keyboard-driven git tool
lazygit
- Developers who already use git from the command line and want a faster overview of their repository
- People who prefer working inside a terminal rather than a graphical app
- Users who want to stage, commit, and push changes without memorizing every git flag
Strengths
GitUI
- Keyboard-only control with context-based help shown on screen
- The README reports it handles very large repositories better than some alternatives in its own benchmark
- Available as a single binary on many platforms and package managers
lazygit
- Keyboard-driven panels make common git actions quicker to reach than typing full commands
- Free and open source under the MIT license
- Available as prebuilt binaries for Linux, Windows, and FreeBSD, according to the latest release assets
Not ideal for
GitUI
- Users who need full git functionality: the README says it does not fully replace the git shell, and interactive rebase and git-lfs are not yet supported
- Teams relying on sparse checkouts, since the README lists no sparse repo support
- Users who need https credential helpers without manual configuration, as the README notes this must be set explicitly
- People who want a mouse-first graphical app
lazygit
- People who are new to git and need to learn its concepts first, since the tool exposes git operations directly
- Users who need a graphical desktop app or work mainly in an IDE, because it runs only in a terminal
- Teams relying on hosting-platform workflows (pull requests, issues) that the README does not describe as supported
Trade-offs
GitUI
- The README describes the project as beta and says it may contain bugs and missing features
- Some features are incomplete, such as gpg signing shortcomings and missing interactive rebase
- Maintained as a spare-time project by its author, according to the README
lazygit
- Requires comfort with a terminal and a basic understanding of git
- The README is truncated here, so detailed feature coverage and limits could not be fully verified
- Its scope is git operations; it does not replace a full code editor or code review platform
Getting started
GitUI
Install with Cargo (from README)
cargo install gitui --lockedInstall on Homebrew (macOS)
brew install gituilazygit
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/jesseduffield/lazygitFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between GitUI and lazygit?
GitUI: A fast terminal interface for working with git, with keyboard-only controls. lazygit: A simple terminal interface for working with git commands. GitUI suits developers who already work in a terminal and want a visual view of git changes, while lazygit suits developers who already use git from the command line and want a faster overview of their repository.
Are GitUI and lazygit free?
GitUI: Free and open source. lazygit: Free and open source.
Is GitUI or lazygit more popular?
lazygit has more GitHub stars (83.6k) than GitUI (22.6k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to GitUI and lazygit?
Other options people compare them with include uutils coreutils.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.