SourceTree

In order to use the app you are required to setup an account with Atlassian. This will set you up with an account with Bitbucket - and getting you signed up to Bitbucket is undoubtedly the main reason for Atlassian to make this app free. Offering a meagre 1Gb of storage, Bitbucket is among the most expensive git repository hosts around, and therefore has never enjoyed wide adoption among small developers. Its arch-nemesis is GitLab: a service that offers unlimited, free private repositories to all - with just about every feature available in Bitbucket, and then some. But once you get through your Bitbucket registration, you will be greeted by an interface which looks very much like a java app that has received some polish. The 'native' feel of a MacOS app is certainly not there, windows look odd, navigation is clumsy and unintuitive. But worse still: the app will only help you automatically connect to accounts in Bitbucket or GitHub - no GitLab, nor any of its other competitors. I'm guessing it may be possible to connect to these other services (just as you can connect to GitLab repos from GitHub's own desktop app), but that is certainly not the way the app was meant to be used. All in all: pass. Straight to the trash, and back to using Tower, until I find a reasonable substitute that won't charge me a subscription fee.

In order to use the app you are required to setup an account with Atlassian. This will set you up with an account with Bitbucket - and getting you signed up to Bitbucket is undoubtedly the main reason for Atlassian to make this app free. Offering a meagre 1Gb of storage, Bitbucket is among the most expensive git repository hosts around, and therefore has never enjoyed wide adoption among small developers. Its arch-nemesis is GitLab: a service that offers unlimited, free private repositories to all - with just about every feature available in Bitbucket, and then some. But once you get through your Bitbucket registration, you will be greeted by an interface which looks very much like a java app that has received some polish. The 'native' feel of a MacOS app is certainly not there, windows look odd, navigation is clumsy and unintuitive. But worse still: the app will only help you automatically connect to accounts in Bitbucket or GitHub - no GitLab, nor any of its other competitors. I'm guessing it may be possible to connect to these other services (just as you can connect to GitLab repos from GitHub's own desktop app), but that is certainly not the way the app was meant to be used. All in all: pass. Straight to the trash, and back to using Tower, until I find a reasonable substitute that won't charge me a subscription fee.

SourceTree is an outstanding GIT client for viewing history and changes. The layout is very efficient and powerful: a single window shows commits, uncommitted changes and the diff between any two commits (or your uncommitted changes and any commit). SourceTree can do much more, of course, but I personally find that viewing history is where git GUI clients really shine compared to the command line. I have tried other git GUI clients, including Tower, GitKraken and GitUp. But I find SourceTree far more comfortable and efficient than the others -- especially for viewing history and changes. Still, it is worth trying a few to see what works for you. Having to register in order to use the program is a minor nuisance, but once done it's done. Personally I think it is very generous of Atlassian to make such an outstanding program available for free. I'd be lost without it.

I'm using 2.7.4 and there is no requirement to login to Atlassian that I can see. The app works really well, not only for Git, but Mercurial as well.

FAVORITE. GIT client and gets the job done with an incredible easy-to-use interface. No more command line stuff needed :)

Nice and very useful tool.

Was a good tool once but since login/registration obligation it became unusable for me. The description text here on MU could also use an update, ,"Atlassian has acquired SourceTree, and it is now free for a limited time!" is not correct.

Since Oct 2016 they also decided to shut down the commenting of blog articles, probably to get rid of all the negativity regarding the latest dozens of missteps they took...

I have 2.05 which stopped working saying my trial period has expired. This is supposed to be free. Tossing it in the trash. Why would I want a source code control system tied to a vendor's product? Love Atlassian's products but they're turning evil.

That seals it. I won't upgrade. Whatever they want my data for, they are not going to get them. A pity, since SourceTree was a useful tool before 2.2.

Great tool until version 2.2 released. Now pointlessly (from a user perspective at least) requires an Atlassian account login, and the login panel appears hopelessly broken. Fortunately, If you accidentally update via the app, you can still find 2.1 in your Trash can. Grab it out before it's gone (2.1 is fantastic)..

Bugs, Bugs, Bugs I am not able to start!