The choice in context
Fork’s feature overview includes line-by-line staging, interactive rebase, image diffs, blame, and reflog recovery. Its website lists Mac and Windows downloads and a paid license with a free evaluation. [1]
At a glance
Different strengths. Choose by what matters to you.
Consider Git Workbench if…
Git Workbench
- Use official Linux packages in addition to the macOS and Windows builds.
- Choose an MIT-licensed desktop client for personal or commercial work.
- Explore commit replay and file archaeology alongside visual staging and conflict tools.
Product details: project documentation [2]
Consider Fork if…
Fork
- Use Fork’s Mac or Windows client and its free evaluation before purchase.
- Keep its documented file history, blame view, image diffs, and line-by-line staging.
Product details: official source [1]
Git Workbench vs Fork
| What matters | Git Workbench [source] | Fork [source] |
|---|---|---|
| Official desktop platforms | Linux x86_64, macOS, and Windows builds. | Official downloads for macOS and Windows. [1] |
| License and purchase model | MIT-licensed and free for personal and commercial use. | Free evaluation followed by a one-time license for personal or commercial use; one user may use it on up to three machines. [3] |
| Commit graph and file history | Replay branch history step by step and trace how files and lines changed in context. | Visual commit list, file history, blame, and browsing the repository tree at a revision. [1] |
| Staging and diff review | Unified or side-by-side diffs; stage files, hunks, or selected lines. | Stage and unstage line by line, review side-by-side diffs, and compare common image formats. [1] |
| Branch and commit editing | Cherry-pick, rebase, split, reword, and preview supported rewrites before applying. | Visual interactive rebase can edit, reorder, and squash commits; common merge, revert, and cherry-pick actions are listed. [1] |
| Merge conflicts | Three-pane current/base/incoming workflow with an editable result and explicit apply. | Built-in merge-conflict helper and resolver. [1] |
| Worktrees and parallel checkouts | Create a separate worktree for a review or another branch while preserving the active checkout. | Current release notes document creating worktrees and checking out remote branches as worktrees. [4] |
| Pull-request integrations | In-app review across GitHub.com, GitLab, Bitbucket Cloud, and Gitea. | Create pull requests for GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab, and Azure DevOps from the branch workflow. [6] |
| Git extras and recovery | Git LFS management, sparse checkout, submodules, reflog, and guarded restore points. | Git LFS, submodules, Git-flow, GPG, stash access, and reflog recovery. [1] |
| AI assistance | Choose an optional hosted model or local Ollama; generated messages remain drafts until you apply them. | Recent release notes list Cursor and Codex integrations for AI-assisted commit messages and code review. [5] |
Official desktop platforms
- Git Workbench
- Linux x86_64, macOS, and Windows builds.
- Fork
- Official downloads for macOS and Windows. [1]
License and purchase model
- Git Workbench
- MIT-licensed and free for personal and commercial use.
- Fork
- Free evaluation followed by a one-time license for personal or commercial use; one user may use it on up to three machines. [3]
Commit graph and file history
- Git Workbench
- Replay branch history step by step and trace how files and lines changed in context.
- Fork
- Visual commit list, file history, blame, and browsing the repository tree at a revision. [1]
Staging and diff review
- Git Workbench
- Unified or side-by-side diffs; stage files, hunks, or selected lines.
- Fork
- Stage and unstage line by line, review side-by-side diffs, and compare common image formats. [1]
Branch and commit editing
- Git Workbench
- Cherry-pick, rebase, split, reword, and preview supported rewrites before applying.
- Fork
- Visual interactive rebase can edit, reorder, and squash commits; common merge, revert, and cherry-pick actions are listed. [1]
Merge conflicts
- Git Workbench
- Three-pane current/base/incoming workflow with an editable result and explicit apply.
- Fork
- Built-in merge-conflict helper and resolver. [1]
Worktrees and parallel checkouts
- Git Workbench
- Create a separate worktree for a review or another branch while preserving the active checkout.
- Fork
- Current release notes document creating worktrees and checking out remote branches as worktrees. [4]
Pull-request integrations
- Git Workbench
- In-app review across GitHub.com, GitLab, Bitbucket Cloud, and Gitea.
- Fork
- Create pull requests for GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab, and Azure DevOps from the branch workflow. [6]
Git extras and recovery
- Git Workbench
- Git LFS management, sparse checkout, submodules, reflog, and guarded restore points.
- Fork
- Git LFS, submodules, Git-flow, GPG, stash access, and reflog recovery. [1]
AI assistance
- Git Workbench
- Choose an optional hosted model or local Ollama; generated messages remain drafts until you apply them.
- Fork
- Recent release notes list Cursor and Codex integrations for AI-assisted commit messages and code review. [5]
Workbench capabilities link to project documentation; competitor details link to official product sources. Platform and plan details can change, so check the sources before deciding.
Where Git Workbench has an edge
Workbench brings official Linux builds and an MIT license for commercial use together with replayable branch history, hosted reviews, and restore points. [project source]
Use one client across your desktops
The project publishes Linux packages as well as macOS and Windows builds. Your repository remains ordinary Git data, with local operations using the installed Git command.
See how it works →Inspect the implementation
The MIT-licensed app source includes the renderer, Git engine, and packaging workflow. Build it yourself when you want to contribute or understand an operation in detail.
See how it works →Save more than a branch tip
A supported workspace restore point records HEAD, the index/working-tree split, and non-ignored untracked files. Recover into a new branch while retaining the saved point.
See how it works →When Fork may fit better
Fork may be preferable on Mac or Windows if its image diffs, file history, blame view, or familiar interaction model are central to your day. Evaluate those views directly rather than treating every diff viewer as interchangeable. [1]
Before you switch
- This comparison does not establish feature parity for Fork’s specialized image-diff and blame views.
- Git Workbench macOS packages are unsigned and updated manually.
- History rewrites in Git Workbench can change hashes and signatures. Review the operation’s prerequisites before trying it on shared history.
Finish any active Git operation in your existing client, keep a backup of work that Git does not track, and open the local repository in Git Workbench. Configure its commit profile and optional providers separately; no repository-format conversion is needed.