Sourcetree

Sourcetree
Name	Sourcetree
Developer	Atlassian
Released	05 December 2011
Latest release version	4.2.8
Latest release date	24 October 2023
Operating system	Windows, macOS
Genre	Git client, Mercurial client
License	Proprietary software
Website	https://www.sourcetreeapp.com

Sourcetree. Sourcetree is a free Git client and Mercurial client for Microsoft Windows and macOS, developed and maintained by Atlassian. It provides a graphical user interface for interacting with distributed version control systems, abstracting complex command-line operations into visual workflows. The application is designed to simplify version control for both novice users and experienced developers working on software projects.

Overview

Sourcetree serves as a desktop client that allows developers to manage their source code repositories without needing to memorize numerous command-line interface commands. It integrates deeply with other Atlassian products like Bitbucket and Jira, facilitating a connected development ecosystem. The interface presents repository history through interactive graphs and provides clear visualizations of branches, commits, and file changes. By lowering the barrier to entry for version control, it has become a popular tool within the broader software development community, particularly for teams already utilizing the Atlassian suite.

Features

Key features of Sourcetree include a comprehensive repository browser that displays the working copy status and staged files. It offers robust branching and merging tools, with visual diagrams illustrating branch topology and merge conflicts. The application includes built-in support for Git LFS (Large File Storage) and SubGit for Subversion interoperability. Users can perform actions like cherry-picking commits, stashing changes, and interacting with remote repositories on platforms like GitHub and Bitbucket through simple dialogs. Advanced capabilities such as interactive rebase, patch handling, and SSH key management are also accessible through its graphical interface.

Supported version control systems

Primarily, Sourcetree supports the Git distributed version control system, which is ubiquitous in modern software development. It also offers full support for Mercurial, another distributed system, though this support has been deprecated for new users in recent versions. While not a native client, Sourcetree can interact with Apache Subversion repositories through the Git-SVN bridge, allowing users to perform basic operations. The focus remains on providing a seamless experience for Git workflows across various hosting services including Azure DevOps Server.

System requirements

For macOS, Sourcetree requires a 64-bit processor and a compatible version of the operating system, typically the most recent few releases. On Microsoft Windows, it requires a 64-bit version of Windows 10 or later. Both platforms necessitate the prior installation of the respective Git command-line tools, as Sourcetree acts as a front-end for these underlying utilities. The application itself is a relatively lightweight desktop program but requires adequate system resources to handle large repositories and complex graphical history visualizations efficiently.

History and development

Sourcetree was originally developed by an independent team before being acquired by Atlassian in 2011, with its first official release under the Atlassian banner occurring in December of that year. The acquisition was part of Atlassian's strategy to build a comprehensive toolchain for developers, complementing Bitbucket and Jira. Over the years, significant updates have aligned it closer with the Atlassian ecosystem, including deep integrations with Bitbucket Server (now Bitbucket Data Center). In 2020, Atlassian announced the deprecation of Mercurial support for new users, reflecting the industry's consolidation around Git.

See also

* GitHub Desktop * TortoiseGit * GitKraken * SmartGit * Version control

Category:Version control software Category:Atlassian software Category:Git clients Category:MacOS software Category:Windows software