ungit
A visual, browser-based interface that makes git easier to understand and use.
- Stars
- 10.6k
- Forks
- 648
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- JavaScript
- Last update
- 2 months ago
- Type
- App
What it is
Ungit is a graphical user interface for git, the version control system used to track changes in code and files. It runs as a local web server and you use it through your browser, so you can work with repositories visually instead of memorizing commands. The README says it works on any platform that Node.js and git support, and it can also run on a remote machine that you reach from a browser.
- Viewing branches and commit history in a visual layout
- Committing and reviewing changes in a browser window
- Running ungit on a remote machine and accessing it from your browser
- Configuring it to use an external merge tool such as Kaleidoscope or p4merge (see MERGETOOL.md)
- Integrating with Gerrit through the separate ungit-gerrit plugin
Great for
- Developers who know git basics but find the command line slow for branching and reviewing history
- Beginners who want to see what git is doing while they learn
- People working on a remote or cloud machine who want a browser-based git view
- Users of GitHub, which the README says ungit works well with
Not ideal for
- Users who need GPG authentication, since the README says ungit does not support it and suggests workarounds
- Users whose system language is not English, since the README warns ungit parses English git output and may behave unexpectedly
- Users on very old systems, such as Debian Wheezy, where the README says packaged git and Node.js are too old without building from source
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Node.js 20.19.0 or newer · npm 10.8.2 or newer (comes with Node.js) · git 2.34.x or newer
Install ungit globally with npm
npm install -g ungit - 2
Run it
- Install Node.js, npm, and git at the versions listed above
- Run npm install -g ungit in a terminal
- Change to a folder you want to start from and run: ungit
- Your browser opens with the ungit interface
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Create a ~/.ungitrc JSON file to change defaults, such as the port
- Override settings at launch with command-line flags like --port=8080
- Use --no-autoFetch to disable a boolean feature from the command line
- Set up an external merge tool by following MERGETOOL.md
- Install the electron prebuilt packages from the releases page if you prefer a desktop app (git is still required)
Downloads
Strengths
- Visual interface that the README describes as making git easier to understand
- Runs on any platform that Node.js and git support, per the README
- Configurable through a .ungitrc file and command-line options
Trade-offs
- Git output must be in English, according to the README
- GPG signing requires workarounds because GPG authentication is not supported
- Requires Node.js, npm, and git to be installed first
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ungit (this) | 10.6k | App | beginner | 2 months ago | Developers who know git basics but find the command line slow for branching and reviewing history |
| gitui | 22.6k | App | beginner | 1 months ago | Developers who already work in a terminal and want a visual view of git changes |
| desktop | 22k | App | beginner | 7 days ago | Developers who work with GitHub and prefer a visual interface for commits and branches |
| AriaNg | 13.3k | App | beginner | 1 months ago | People who already run aria2 and want a visual control panel in a browser |
| obsidian-git | 12.2k | App | intermediate | 6 days ago | Desktop Obsidian users who want version history for their notes |
| gitea | 58.8k | App | intermediate | 4 days ago | Teams that want to host their own code instead of using a public cloud service |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.