On this article, we’ll evaluate two well-liked platforms that provide DevOps options: Azure DevOps and GitHub. We’ll spotlight their core options, strengths, and weaknesses, and supply some steering on determine which one is greatest suited in your group.

Desk of Contents

Why DevOps?

DevOps is a set of practices that goals to enhance the collaboration and effectivity of software program improvement and IT operations groups. It permits sooner supply of worth to prospects, increased high quality software program, and the constructing of extra dependable and safe programs. DevOps additionally fosters a tradition of steady studying and enchancment, the place groups can experiment, be taught from failures, and adapt to altering necessities and suggestions.

One of many key points of DevOps is supporting the enterprise via the varied phases of the software program improvement lifecycle, similar to planning, coding, testing, deploying, and monitoring.

DevOps has turn out to be an increasing number of well-liked for public cloud surroundings deployments, not solely permitting for utility workload lifecycle administration, but additionally embracing infrastructure as code in addition to configuration as code. DevOps brings collectively developer groups (engaged on purposes) and ops groups (engaged on infrastructure). It embraces the complete cycle, from baseline compute useful resource deployment, and configuration of the platform, to the discharge of the purposes operating on high.

Whereas the adoption of DevOps grew due to the cloud world, it’s attainable to stretch the ideas throughout hybrid environments or pure on-premises information facilities as effectively. Due to DevOps, organizations are in a position to present sooner software program releases, delivering sooner bug fixes, releasing new options and capabilities — irrespective of the place the underlying infrastructure is operating, or what platform structure is getting used, similar to digital machines, platform as a service, or containerized workloads similar to Kubernetes.

DevOps Concept

DevOps Software program Lifecycle Administration Phases

As soon as a corporation decides to combine DevOps, the following determination to make is which DevOps instruments to make use of. These instruments assist automate and streamline the workflows, scale back errors and bottlenecks, and supply visibility and suggestions to the groups. Nevertheless, selecting the best instruments in your DevOps wants may be difficult, as there are numerous choices out there out there.

Popular DevOps Tools 2023

High DevOps Instruments in 2023

Within the sections beneath, we’ll evaluate Azure DevOps and GitHub. Whereas each merchandise are owned by Microsoft (Microsoft acquired GitHub in 2018), they’re seen as two stand-alone merchandise — although there’s truly numerous attainable integration between them as effectively.

Azure DevOps

Azure DevOps is a cloud-based platform that gives a set of companies and instruments for DevOps groups. It contains:

  • Azure Boards: a venture administration software that permits you to monitor work objects, similar to consumer tales, duties, bugs, and options. You should use agile strategies like Scrum or Kanban, create customized workflows and dashboards, and combine with different instruments like GitHub or Jira.
  • Azure Repos: a model management system that helps Git and Group Basis Model Management (TFVC). You may host your code repositories within the cloud or on-premises, handle branches and pull requests, and implement insurance policies and permissions.
  • Azure Pipelines: a steady integration and steady supply (CI/CD) software that permits you to construct, take a look at, and deploy your code to any platform or cloud. You should use predefined templates or create your individual pipelines utilizing YAML or a graphical editor. You can too combine with different instruments like Jenkins or SonarQube.
  • Azure Check Plans: a testing software that permits you to plan, execute, and monitor handbook and automatic exams. You may create take a look at instances and suites, run exams throughout completely different browsers and units, and generate experiences and insights.
  • Azure Artifacts: a package deal administration software that permits you to create, host, and share packages together with your crew or with the general public. You should use varied package deal codecs like NuGet, npm, Maven, or Python.

Azure DevOps Overview

Azure DevOps Parts Overview

Advantages of Azure DevOps

  • It affords a complete and built-in resolution for all of your DevOps wants. You may entry all of the companies from a single portal and use a typical id and safety mannequin, backed by Microsoft Azure Energetic Listing (now Microsoft Entra ID).
  • It integrates seamlessly with different Azure companies and Microsoft merchandise like Visible Studio, Workplace 365, or Energy BI. You can too leverage the Azure ecosystem of companions and extensions to reinforce your DevOps capabilities utilizing the Visual Studio Marketplace.
  • It helps hybrid and multi-cloud eventualities. You may deploy your code to Azure or to different clouds like Amazon AWS or Google Cloud Platform. You can too use Azure DevOps Server to run some or all the companies on-premises.
  • It offers scalability and reliability. You may scale up or down your sources as wanted and pay just for what you utilize. You can too depend on the excessive availability and safety of Azure.

Downsides of Azure DevOps

  • It may be overwhelming and sophisticated for novices or small groups. It’s possible you’ll not want all of the options or companies that Azure DevOps affords, or you could want less complicated or extra specialised instruments for some duties.
  • It may be costly for giant groups or initiatives. The pricing mannequin of Azure DevOps relies on the variety of customers, pipelines, brokers, space for storing, and so on. It’s possible you’ll find yourself paying greater than you’ll with different platforms or instruments.
  • It may be much less versatile or customizable than different platforms or instruments. It’s possible you’ll not be capable to use some options or integrations which might be out there elsewhere, or you’ll have to observe some conventions or limitations imposed by Azure DevOps.

GitHub

GitHub is a web-based platform that gives internet hosting for software program improvement utilizing Git model management. It additionally affords varied options and instruments for collaboration and automation. It contains:

  • GitHub Repositories: a model management system that permits you to host your code repositories on-line. You may handle branches and pull requests, overview code modifications, implement insurance policies and permissions, and combine with different instruments like Azure DevOps or Slack.
  • GitHub Actions: a steady integration and steady supply (CI/CD) software that permits you to automate your workflows utilizing YAML recordsdata. You may construct, take a look at, and deploy your code to any platform or cloud. You can too use predefined workflows or create your individual actions utilizing Docker containers.
  • GitHub Packages: a package deal administration software that permits you to create, host, and share packages together with your crew or with the general public. You should use varied package deal codecs like npm, RubyGems, Docker, or NuGet.
  • GitHub Pages: a static website internet hosting service that permits you to publish net pages instantly out of your GitHub repositories. You should use Jekyll, a static website generator, or any HTML, CSS, or JavaScript recordsdata. You can too use a customized area identify in your website.
  • GitHub Discussions: a neighborhood discussion board that permits you to begin and be a part of conversations with different GitHub customers. You may ask questions, share concepts, present suggestions, or search assistance on varied subjects associated to your initiatives or GitHub options.
  • GitHub Code Scanning: a code evaluation software that permits you to discover and repair safety vulnerabilities and code high quality points in your code. You should use CodeQL, a strong question language, or different instruments like ESLint or Bandit to scan your code and generate alerts.

GitHub Overview

Core GitHub Parts and Companies

Advantages of utilizing GitHub

  • It’s the most well-liked and extensively used platform for internet hosting and collaborating on code. You may entry hundreds of thousands of open-source initiatives and contributors, be taught from greatest practices and examples, and contribute to the neighborhood.
  • It’s easy and straightforward to make use of for novices and small groups. You will get began rapidly with a free account and a fundamental Git workflow. You can too use GitHub Desktop, a graphical consumer interface, or GitHub CLI, a command-line software, to work together with GitHub.
  • It’s versatile and customizable for superior customers and enormous groups. You should use GitHub Enterprise, a self-hosted model of GitHub, to run it by yourself servers or cloud. You can too use GitHub Apps, a framework for constructing integrations, or GitHub API, a programmatic interface, to increase and automate GitHub performance.
  • It’s revolutionary and continuously evolving. You may profit from the most recent options and enhancements that GitHub releases frequently. You can too take part in beta testing or present suggestions on new concepts and experiments.

Downsides of utilizing GitHub

  • It’s primarily centered on Git model management and code internet hosting. It’s possible you’ll want to make use of different platforms or instruments for some DevOps duties like venture administration, testing, or monitoring.
  • It’s depending on the provision and efficiency of GitHub. It’s possible you’ll expertise downtime or slowdowns attributable to upkeep, outages, or incidents. You may additionally need to adjust to the phrases of service and privateness coverage of GitHub.
  • It’s restricted by the pricing mannequin and quotas of GitHub. The free plan has some restrictions on the variety of collaborators, personal repositories, actions minutes, and space for storing. The paid plans are based mostly on the variety of seats, which can not mirror the precise utilization or worth of GitHub.

The right way to Select between Azure DevOps and GitHub

Azure DevOps and GitHub are each highly effective platforms that provide DevOps options for software program improvement groups. Nevertheless, they’re not similar, they usually have some important variations which will have an effect on your selection. On this part, we’ll discover among the fundamental components you need to take into account when evaluating and contrasting Azure DevOps and GitHub, and supply some recommendations on make an knowledgeable determination.

Scope and integration

One of many first issues to contemplate is the scope and integration of the platforms. Azure DevOps is a complete and built-in resolution that covers all of your DevOps wants, from planning to monitoring. It additionally integrates seamlessly with different Azure companies and Microsoft merchandise, similar to Visible Studio, Workplace 365, or Energy BI. This implies that you would be able to entry all of the options and companies from a single portal, use a typical id and safety mannequin, and leverage the Azure ecosystem of companions and extensions.

GitHub, alternatively, is principally centered on Git model management and code internet hosting. It does supply some extra options and instruments, similar to GitHub Actions, GitHub Packages, or GitHub Pages, however they’re not as in depth or built-in as Azure DevOps. It’s possible you’ll want to make use of different platforms or instruments for some DevOps duties, similar to venture administration, testing, or monitoring. You can too combine GitHub with different instruments and companies, similar to Azure DevOps, Slack, or Jenkins, however you’ll have to take care of a number of interfaces, identities, and safety fashions.

Subsequently, in the event you’re on the lookout for an entire and cohesive resolution that works effectively with different Azure companies and Microsoft merchandise, you could want Azure DevOps. If you happen to’re on the lookout for a easy and centered resolution that works effectively with Git model management and code internet hosting, you could want GitHub.

Simplicity and complexity

One other issue to contemplate is the simplicity and complexity of the platforms. GitHub is easy and straightforward to make use of for novices and small groups. You will get began rapidly with a free account and a fundamental Git workflow. You can too use GitHub Desktop or GitHub CLI to work together with GitHub out of your desktop or terminal. GitHub has a user-friendly interface and a transparent documentation that guides you thru the options and instruments.

Azure DevOps is extra advanced and overwhelming for novices and small groups. It’s possible you’ll not want all of the options or companies that Azure DevOps affords, or you could want less complicated or extra specialised instruments for some duties. Azure DevOps has a extra cluttered interface and a much less intuitive documentation which will confuse you or make you miss some essential particulars.

Subsequently, in the event you’re on the lookout for a easy and straightforward resolution that doesn’t require a lot studying or configuration, you could want GitHub. If you happen to’re on the lookout for a fancy and complete resolution that provides extra performance and customization, you could want Azure DevOps.

Flexibility and customization

One other issue to contemplate is the pliability and customization of the platforms. GitHub is versatile and customizable for superior customers and enormous groups. You should use GitHub Enterprise, a self-hosted model of GitHub, to run it by yourself servers or cloud. You can too use GitHub Apps, a framework for constructing integrations, or GitHub API, a programmatic interface, to increase and automate GitHub performance. You can too create and share your individual actions, packages, or pages together with your crew or with the general public.

Azure DevOps is much less versatile or customizable than GitHub. It’s possible you’ll not be capable to use some options or integrations which might be out there elsewhere, or you’ll have to observe some conventions or limitations imposed by Azure DevOps. You should use Azure DevOps Server to run some or all the companies on-premises, however it could not have all of the options or updates of the cloud model. You can too use REST API or PowerShell scripts to work together with Azure DevOps, however they is probably not as highly effective or user-friendly as GitHub Apps or API.

Subsequently, in the event you’re on the lookout for a versatile and customizable resolution that permits you to combine and match completely different options and instruments in response to your wants and preferences, you could want GitHub.

If you happen to’re on the lookout for a much less versatile or customizable resolution that follows a extra standardized and constant strategy, you could want Azure DevOps.

Pricing and worth

One other issue to contemplate is the pricing and worth of the platforms.

GitHub has a free plan that provides limitless public repositories, limitless collaborators, limitless actions minutes, and 500 MB of space for storing. It additionally has paid plans that provide limitless personal repositories, extra actions minutes, extra space for storing, and extra options like code scanning, discussions, or enterprise accounts. The paid plans are based mostly on the variety of seats, which signifies that you pay per consumer per 30 days.

For extra particulars, take a look at this page on GitHub pricing.

Azure DevOps has a free plan that provides limitless public initiatives, 5 free customers, one free parallel job, and a couple of GB of space for storing. It additionally has paid plans that provide limitless personal initiatives, extra customers, extra parallel jobs, extra space for storing, and extra options like take a look at plans, artifacts, or self-hosted brokers. The paid plans are based mostly on the variety of customers, pipelines, brokers, space for storing, and so forth, which signifies that you pay per useful resource per 30 days.

For extra particulars, test this page on Azure DevOps pricing.

So, in the event you’re on the lookout for a free or low-cost resolution that provides limitless public repositories and collaborators, you could want GitHub. If you happen to’re on the lookout for a costlier however extra complete resolution that provides limitless personal initiatives and extra options and companies, you could want Azure DevOps.

What About Integrating Azure DevOps and GitHub?

As talked about earlier, each merchandise are owned by Microsoft, they usually have some frequent options like model management, CI/CD, and package deal administration. Nevertheless, in addition they have some distinctive options which will complement one another, similar to venture administration, testing, or neighborhood boards.

Listed below are some examples of how one can combine Azure DevOps and GitHub to leverage the very best of each worlds:

  • You may join your Azure Boards venture to your GitHub repositories, and hyperlink your work objects to your GitHub commits, pull requests, and points. This fashion, you should use GitHub for software program improvement, whereas utilizing Azure Boards to plan and monitor your work. You can too add standing badges of Azure Boards to your GitHub repository README file, and look at the linked work objects within the Launch abstract web page of Azure DevOps.

    Azure Boards in GitHub

    Utilizing Azure Boards from inside GitHub
  • You should use Azure Pipelines to mechanically construct, take a look at, package deal, launch, and deploy your GitHub repository code. You should use predefined templates or create your individual pipelines utilizing YAML or a graphical editor. You can too combine with different instruments like Jenkins or SonarQube.

  • You may create a GitHub Launch from Azure Pipelines, and publish your artifacts to GitHub Packages. This fashion, you should use Azure Pipelines for CI/CD, whereas utilizing GitHub for package deal administration and distribution. You can too use GitHub Actions to set off workflows based mostly on occasions in Azure DevOps.

  • You may register to Azure DevOps utilizing your GitHub credentials, and invite your GitHub collaborators to your Azure DevOps venture. This fashion, you possibly can simplify the authentication and authorization course of, and collaborate together with your crew members throughout each platforms.

    GitHub Authentication to ADO

    Utilizing GitHub credentials to authenticate to Azure DevOps

Abstract

Azure DevOps and GitHub are each highly effective platforms that provide DevOps options for software program improvement groups. They’ve some frequent options like model management, CI/CD, and package deal administration, however in addition they have some important variations which will have an effect on your selection.

The selection between Azure DevOps and GitHub is determined by varied components similar to your crew measurement, venture complexity, price range, preferences, and necessities. There’s no one-size-fits-all reply, as every platform has its personal execs and cons. As mentioned, it might even be completely okay to make use of each Azure DevOps and GitHub collectively.

By integrating Azure DevOps and GitHub, you possibly can profit from the great and built-in options of Azure DevOps, in addition to the easy and straightforward options of GitHub. You can too benefit from the seamless integration with different Azure companies and Microsoft merchandise, in addition to the reference to the open-source neighborhood. You can too optimize your prices through the use of the free or low-cost plans of each platforms.

Subsequently, selecting between Azure DevOps and GitHub isn’t a binary determination. You should use each platforms collectively to reinforce your DevOps capabilities and ship worth to your prospects sooner, higher, and safer.

Because you’re keen on DevOps, and whilst you’re right here, take a look at our library of Cloud and DevOps learning resources.

Additionally take a look at our article DevOps by Example: Tools, Pros and Cons of a DevOps Culture for a pleasant introduction to DevOps.

FAQs on Azure DevOps vs GitHub

What’s Azure DevOps, and what’s GitHub?

Azure DevOps is a set of improvement instruments and companies by Microsoft for managing the complete utility improvement lifecycle. GitHub is a web-based platform for model management and collaboration that focuses on code internet hosting and sharing.

How do Azure DevOps and GitHub differ of their main functions?

Azure DevOps is extra complete, overlaying the complete utility improvement course of, together with venture administration, CI/CD, testing, and deployment. GitHub is primarily a model management and code collaboration platform.

Which platform is healthier for model management and supply code administration: Azure DevOps or GitHub?

Each platforms supply sturdy model management options. GitHub is especially well-known for its Git-based model management system, whereas Azure DevOps affords Git as certainly one of its model management choices, together with Group Basis Model Management (TFVC).

Can I take advantage of each Azure DevOps and GitHub collectively in my improvement workflow?

Sure, many builders use each in tandem. You may retailer your supply code on GitHub and combine it with Azure DevOps for CI/CD pipelines, venture administration, and different improvement actions.