Git and Azure DevOps aren’t competitors — Git is your version control system, and Azure DevOps is a platform that can host Git (plus way more). You’ll probably want to use both. Keep reading to understand why and how

Look, We Need to Talk About This Confusion

If you’re googling “Git vs Azure DevOps,” I get it. The whole version control thing is messy, and Microsoft’s branding changes haven’t helped. Let’s fix this confusion once and for all…

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The 30-Second Explanation

Think of it this way:

  • Git is like your car’s engine (handles the core functionality)
  • Azure DevOps is like an entire garage (can store your car plus gives you tools, a maintenance area, etc.)

You’re not choosing between them — you’re choosing whether to park your Git-powered car in the Azure DevOps garage or somewhere else.

What Git Actually Is (In Human Terms)

Git is your code’s time machine. It:

  • Tracks every change you make to your code
  • Lets you work on different versions simultaneously (branches)
  • Helps you merge changes from different developers
  • Works on your local machine

— Example → You’re building a new feature. Git lets you:

# Save your changes
git commit -m "Added that cool button everyone wanted"

# Create a new branch for experiments
git checkout -b experimental-stuff

# Merge your changes with your team's work
git merge main

What Azure DevOps Actually Is

Azure DevOps is a multi-thing tool for development teams. It includes:

  • A place to store your Git repositories (just like GitHub)
  • Project management tools (like Jira)
  • Build and release pipelines (like Jenkins)
  • Test management
  • Package management

— Example Your team can:

  • Store code in Git repositories
  • Track tasks on boards
  • Automatically build and test code when someone pushes to Git
  • Deploy directly to Azure (or anywhere else)

— Why You Want Git (Period)

— Why You Might Want Azure DevOps

Real Talk: What Your Choice Actually Looks Like

— Scenario 1: Small Team, Simple Needs

  • Use Git for version control
  • Host it on GitHub
  • Use Trello for task management

— Scenario 2: Enterprise Team

  • Use Git for version control
  • Host it on Azure DevOps
  • Use Azure DevOps’ built-in tools for everything else

— Scenario 3: Medium Team, Hybrid Approach

  • Use Git for version control
  • Host it on Azure DevOps
  • Mix and match other tools as needed

— Common Questions People Actually Ask

The Bottom Line

  • Use Git. Just do it.
  • Choose your hosting platform (Azure DevOps, GitHub, etc.) based on your other needs.
  • Stop thinking about them as competitors.

What To Do Right Now

  • Install Git on your machine
  • Create a free Azure DevOps account
  • Try this basic workflow:
# Clone a repo from Azure DevOps
git clone https://dev.azure.com/yourorg/yourproject/_git/yourrepo

# Make changes and commit them
git add .
git commit -m "First commit"

# Push back to Azure DevOps
git push origin main

TIP: Git Commands You’ll Actually Use

Here are the Git commands you’ll use 90% of the time:

git clone    # Get a repo
git pull     # Get updates
git add      # Stage changes
git commit   # Save changes
git push     # Share changes
git checkout # Switch branches

Remember: Git is your tool, and Azure DevOps is just one place to use it. Pick what works for you and ignore the haters.

About the Author

Ah! you are the Champ! just do it….

#software #development #git #azuredevops #coding