Azure DevOps vs GitHub: Which DevOps Tool Should You Choose?

This article will compare two popular DevOps solution platforms: Azure DevOps and GitHub. We will highlight their core capabilities, strengths and weaknesses and provide some guidance to help you determine which platform is best for your organization.

Key Points

• Azure DevOps and GitHub are both powerful DevOps solution platforms, but there are significant differences between them, which affects which one you choose.
• Azure DevOps provides a comprehensive and integrated solution for all DevOps needs, but can be complex for beginners and can be expensive for large teams or projects.
• GitHub focuses on Git version control and code hosting, and is popular for its simplicity and ease of use, especially for beginners and small teams. However, for some DevOps tasks, it may require other platforms or tools.
• Choose Azure DevOps or GitHub depends on factors such as team size, project complexity, budget, preferences, and needs, and both platforms can be used to enhance DevOps capabilities.
• Both platforms offer free plans with different restrictions and paid plans based on different pricing models, which should be considered when choosing Azure DevOps and GitHub.

The meaning of DevOps

DevOps is a practical method designed to improve the collaboration efficiency of software development and IT operation and maintenance teams. It can provide value to customers faster, provide higher quality software, and build more reliable and secure systems. DevOps also fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement where teams can experiment, learn from failures, and adapt to changing needs and feedback.

A key aspect of DevOps is Support business throughout all phases of the software development life cycle, such as planning, coding, testing, deployment and monitoring.

DevOps is becoming increasingly popular in public cloud environment deployments, allowing not only application workload lifecycle management, but also includes infrastructure as code and configuration as code. DevOps combines the development team (responsible for applications) and the operations team (responsible for infrastructure). It covers the entire cycle from baseline computing resource deployment and platform configuration to the release of applications running on it.

While DevOps adoption is due to the cloud world, these concepts can also be extended to hybrid environments or purely on-premises data centers. With DevOps, organizations can provide faster software releases, faster bug fixes, release new features and capabilities—regardless of where the underlying infrastructure runs, or what platform architecture is used, such as virtual machines, platform-as-a-service, or containers. , such as Kubernetes.

DevOps software life cycle management stage

DevOps Tools

Once the organization decides to integrate DevOps, the next decision to make is which DevOps tools to use. These tools help automate and simplify workflows, reduce errors and bottlenecks, and provide visibility and feedback to the team. However, choosing the right tool to meet DevOps needs can be challenging, as there are many options available on the market.

Top DevOps Tools in 2023

In the following section, we will compare Azure DevOps and GitHub. While both products are owned by Microsoft (Microsoft acquired GitHub in 2018), they are considered two separate products—although there are actually many possible integrations between them.

Azure DevOps

Azure DevOps is a cloud-based platform that provides a suite of services and tools for the DevOps team. It includes:

• Azure Boards: A project management tool that allows you to track work items such as user stories, tasks, errors, and features. You can use agile methods like Scrum or Kanban to create custom workflows and dashboards and integrate with other tools like GitHub or Jira.
• Azure Repos: A version control system that supports Git and Team Foundation Version Control (TFVC). You can host your code repository in the cloud or on-premises, manage branches and pull requests, and execute policies and permissions.
• Azure Pipelines: A Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) tool that allows you to build, test and deploy code to any platform or cloud. You can create your own pipeline using predefined templates or using YAML or graph editor. You can also integrate with other tools like Jenkins or SonarQube.
• Azure Test Plans: A testing tool that allows you to plan, execute, and track manual and automated tests. You can create test cases and suites, run tests across different browsers and devices, and generate reports and insights.
• Azure Artifacts: A package management tool that allows you to create, host and share packages with your team or the public. You can use various package formats such as NuGet, npm, Maven, or Python.

Azure DevOps Component Overview

Advantages of Azure DevOps

• It provides a comprehensive and integrated solution for all your DevOps needs. You can access all services from a single portal and use a common identity and security model supported by Microsoft Azure Active Directory, now Microsoft Entra ID.
• It integrates seamlessly with other Azure services and Microsoft products such as Visual Studio, Office 365, or Power BI. You can also leverage Azure partners and an extended ecosystem to enhance your DevOps capabilities with Visual Studio Marketplace.
• It supports hybrid and multi-cloud scenarios. You can deploy your code to Azure or other clouds, such as Amazon AWS or Google Cloud Platform. You can also use Azure DevOps Server to run some or all services locally.
• It provides scalability and reliability. You can expand or reduce resources as needed and pay only for the use. You can also rely on Azure's high availability and security.

Disadvantages of Azure DevOps

• It can be overwhelming and complicated for beginners or small teams. You may not need all the features or services provided by Azure DevOps, or you may prefer simpler or more professional tools to accomplish certain tasks.
• It can be expensive for large teams or projects. Azure DevOps pricing model is based on the number of users, pipelines, proxy, storage space, etc. You may end up paying more than other platforms or tools.
• It may not be as flexible or customizable as other platforms or tools. You may not be able to use certain features or integrations provided elsewhere, or you may have to follow certain conventions or restrictions imposed by Azure DevOps.

GitHub

GitHub is a web-based platform that uses Git version control to provide hosting for software development. It also provides a variety of features and tools for collaboration and automation. It includes:

• GitHub repository: A version control system that allows you to host your code repository online. You can manage branch and pull requests, review code changes, execute policies and permissions, and integrate with other tools like Azure DevOps or Slack.
• GitHub Actions: A Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) tool that allows you to automate your workflow using YAML files. You can build, test and deploy code to any platform or cloud. You can also create your own actions using predefined workflows or using Docker containers.
• GitHub Packages: A package management tool that allows you to create, host and share packages with your team or the public. You can use various package formats such as npm, RubyGems, Docker, or NuGet.
• GitHub Pages: A static site hosting service that allows you to publish web pages directly from the GitHub repository. You can use Jekyll (a static site generator) or any HTML, CSS or JavaScript file. You can also use a custom domain name for your site.
• GitHub Discussions: A community forum that allows you to start and join conversations with other GitHub users. You can ask questions, share ideas, provide feedback, or seek help on various topics about projects or GitHub features.
• GitHub Code Scanning: A code analysis tool that allows you to find and fix security vulnerabilities and code quality issues in your code. You can use CodeQL (a powerful query language) or other tools like ESLint or Bandit to scan your code and generate alerts.

Core GitHub Components and Services

Advantages of using GitHub

• It is the most popular and widely used platform for hosting and collaborating code. You can access millions of open source projects and contributors, learn best practices and examples, and contribute to the community.
• It is simple and easy to use for beginners and small teams. You can get a quick start with a free account and basic Git workflow. You can also interact with GitHub Desktop (a graphical user interface) or GitHub CLI (a command line tool). GitHub has a user-friendly interface and clear documentation that guides you through features and tools.
• It is flexible and customizable for both advanced users and large teams. You can run it on your own server or on the cloud using GitHub Enterprise (a self-hosted version of GitHub). You can also use GitHub Apps (a framework for building integrations) or GitHub API (a programming interface) to extend and automate GitHub functionality. You can also create and share your own actions, packages, or pages with your team or the public.
• It is innovative and constantly evolving. You can benefit from the latest features and improvements released regularly by GitHub. You can also participate in beta testing or provide feedback on new ideas and experiments.

Disadvantages of using GitHub

• It focuses mainly on Git version control and code hosting. You may need to use other platforms or tools to complete certain DevOps tasks, such as project management, testing, or monitoring.
• It relies on GitHub's availability and performance. You may experience downtime or slowdown due to maintenance, interruptions, or events. You may also be required to comply with GitHub's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
• It is limited by GitHub's pricing model and quotas. The free plan has some limitations on collaborators, private repositories, operation minutes, and storage space. Paid plans are based on the number of seats, which may not reflect the actual usage or value of GitHub.

How to choose Azure DevOps and GitHub

Azure DevOps and GitHub are both powerful platforms that provide DevOps solutions for software development teams. However, they are not the same and there are some significant differences between them that may affect your choice. In this section, we will explore some of the main factors you should consider when comparing and comparing Azure DevOps and GitHub, and provide some tips for making informed decisions.

Scope and integration

The first thing to consider is the scope and integration of the platform. Azure DevOps is a comprehensive integrated solution covering all DevOps needs from planning to monitoring. It also integrates seamlessly with other Azure services and Microsoft products such as Visual Studio, Office 365, or Power BI. This means you can access all features and services from a single portal, use a common identity and security model, and leverage Azure partners and an extended ecosystem.

On the other hand, GitHub focuses on Git version control and code hosting. It does offer some extra features and tools like GitHub Actions, GitHub Packages, or GitHub Pages, but they aren't as broad or integrated as Azure DevOps. You may need to use other platforms or tools to complete certain DevOps tasks, such as project management, testing, or monitoring. You can also integrate GitHub with other tools and services, such as Azure DevOps, Slack, or Jenkins, but you may have to deal with multiple interfaces, identity, and security models.

So if you are looking for a complete and consistent solution that works well with other Azure services and Microsoft products, you may prefer Azure DevOps. If you are looking for a simple and centralized solution that works well with Git versioning and code hosting, you might prefer GitHub.

Simplicity and complexity

Another factor to consider is the simplicity and complexity of the platform. GitHub is easy to use for beginners and small teams. You can get a quick start with a free account and basic Git workflow. You can also use the GitHub Desktop or the GitHub CLI to interact with GitHub on your desktop or terminal. GitHub has a user-friendly interface and clear documentation that guides you through features and tools.

Azure DevOps is more complex and overwhelming for beginners and small teams. You may not need all the features or services provided by Azure DevOps, or you may prefer simpler or more professional tools to accomplish certain tasks. Azure DevOps has a more chaotic interface and less intuitive documentation, which can confuse you or miss some important details.

So if you're looking for a simple and easy-to-use solution that doesn't require much learning or configuration, you might prefer GitHub. If you are looking for a complex and comprehensive solution that offers more features and customization, you might prefer Azure DevOps.

Flexibility and customization

Another factor to consider is the flexibility and customizability of the platform. GitHub is flexible and customizable for both advanced users and large teams. You can run it on your own server or on the cloud using GitHub Enterprise (a self-hosted version of GitHub). You can also use GitHub Apps (a framework for building integrations) or GitHub API (a programming interface) to extend and automate GitHub functionality. You can also create and share your own actions, packages, or pages with your team or the public.

Azure DevOps is not as flexible or customizable as GitHub. You may not be able to use certain features or integrations provided elsewhere, or you may have to follow certain conventions or restrictions imposed by Azure DevOps. You can run some or all services locally using Azure DevOps Server, but it may not have full functionality or updates from the cloud version. You can also use the REST API or PowerShell scripts to interact with Azure DevOps, but they may not be as powerful or user-friendly as GitHub Apps or APIs.

So if you are looking for a flexible and customizable solution that allows you to mix and match different features and tools according to your needs and preferences, you may prefer GitHub.

If you are looking for a less flexible or customizable solution that follows a more standardized and consistent approach, you may prefer Azure DevOps.

Price and Value

Another factor to consider is the pricing and value of the platform.

GitHub has a free plan that offers unlimited public repositories, unlimited collaborators, unlimited minutes of operation and 500 MB of storage. It also offers a paid plan, offering unlimited private repository, more minutes to operate, more storage space, and additional features such as code scanning, discussion or corporate accounts. Paid plans are based on seat count, which means you pay per user per month.

For more details, check out this GitHub pricing page.

Azure DevOps has a free plan that offers unlimited public projects, five free users, a free parallel job and 2 GB of storage. It also offers paid plans, offering unlimited private projects, more users, more parallel jobs, more storage space, and additional features such as test plans, artifacts or self-hosted agents. Paid plans are based on the number of users, pipelines, proxy, storage space, etc., which means you pay by resources every month.

For more details, check out this Azure DevOps pricing page.

So if you're looking for a free or low-cost solution that offers unlimited public repositories and collaborators, you might prefer GitHub. If you're looking for a more expensive but more comprehensive solution that offers unlimited private projects and more features and services, you might prefer Azure DevOps.

Integrate Azure DevOps and GitHub

As mentioned earlier, both products are owned by Microsoft and they share some common features such as version control, CI/CD and package management. However, they also have some unique features that can complement each other, such as project management, testing, or community forums.

Here are some examples of ways you can integrate Azure DevOps and GitHub to take advantage of the best of both worlds:

• You can connect your Azure Boards project to your GitHub repository and link your work items to your GitHub commits, pull requests, and questions. This way, you can use GitHub for software development while using Azure Boards to plan and track your work. You can also add the status badge for Azure Boards to the GitHub repository README file and view the linked work items in the publish summary page of Azure DevOps.

  

  Using Azure Boards in GitHub

• You can use Azure Pipelines to automatically build, test, package, publish and deploy GitHub repository code. You can create your own pipeline using predefined templates or using YAML or graph editor. You can also integrate with other tools like Jenkins or SonarQube.

• You can create GitHub Release from Azure Pipelines and publish artifacts to GitHub Packages. This way, you can use Azure Pipelines for CI/CD while using GitHub for package management and distribution. You can also use GitHub Actions to trigger workflows based on events in Azure DevOps.

• You can use GitHub credentials to log in to Azure DevOps and invite GitHub collaborators to your Azure DevOps project. This allows you to simplify the authentication and authorization process and collaborate with team members across two platforms.

  

  Authenticate Azure DevOps with GitHub credentials

Summary

Azure DevOps and GitHub are both powerful platforms that provide DevOps solutions for software development teams. They share some common features such as version control, CI/CD, and package management, but they also have some significant differences that may affect your choice.

Choose Azure DevOps or GitHub depends on various factors such as your team size, project complexity, budget, preferences, and needs. There is no universal answer, because each platform has its own advantages and disadvantages. As mentioned above, it is also perfectly OK to use Azure DevOps and GitHub at the same time.

By integrating Azure DevOps and GitHub, you can benefit from the full integration of Azure DevOps and the simple and easy-to-use features of GitHub. You can also enjoy seamless integration with other Azure services and Microsoft products, as well as connectivity with the open source community. You can also optimize costs by using free or low-cost plans for both platforms.

So choosing between Azure DevOps and GitHub is not a binary decision. You can use both platforms to enhance your DevOps capabilities and deliver value to your customers faster, better and safer.

Because you are interested in DevOps, and since you are here, check out our cloud and DevOps learning resource library.

Also check out our article "DevOps Examples: Tools, Pros and Cons of DevOps Culture" to learn a good introduction to DevOps.

FAQs about Azure DevOps and GitHub

What is Azure DevOps and what is GitHub? Azure DevOps is a set of development tools and services from Microsoft to manage the entire application development lifecycle. GitHub is a web-based version control and collaboration platform focused on code hosting and sharing.

What are the differences between Azure DevOps and GitHub in their main uses? Azure DevOps is more comprehensive and covers the entire application development process, including project management, CI/CD, testing and deployment. GitHub is mainly a version control and code collaboration platform.

Which platform is more suitable for version control and source code management: Azure DevOps or GitHub? Both platforms offer powerful version control capabilities. GitHub is particularly famous for its Git-based version control system, while Azure DevOps offers Git as one of its version control options, as well as Team Foundation Version Control (TFVC).

Can I use Azure DevOps and GitHub in my development workflow? Yes, many developers use both. You can store the source code on GitHub and integrate it with Azure DevOps for CI/CD pipelines, project management, and other development activities.

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