The best version control systems, according to hackers
26 version control systems were recommended on Hacker News between November 2025 and November 2026. We rank them by how many separate people recommend each one, and 8 earn the Hacker Approved badge.
Top picks
The three most recommended version control systems with the badge. Each figure is 25 people. RecommendsCriticizes One comment
Deferred conflict resolution
A Git-compatible version control tool that makes rebasing, stacked changes, conflicts and undo far easier; the common gripe is that bookmarks must be moved manually.
Friendlier and easier than Git
Recommended as a friendlier, more predictable alternative to Git with clear commands and branch history kept in commits, though critics call it slow and short on Git-centric tooling.
Simpler, more intuitive than Git
A Git-compatible version control tool that people find simpler than Git, with painless undo, easy history editing and light branching; skeptics say it isn't different enough to justify relearning.
All 26 version control systems, ranked
Select a column heading to sort. Approval share is recommenders out of everyone who gave an opinion; the tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs. Months counts the months, out of 13, in which someone recommended it.
| Rank | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Git | 814 | 503 | 62% | 13 | 15 yrs42 owners | — |
| 2 | Jujutsu (jj) | 335 | 106 | 76% | 13 | 1 yr21 owners | Approved |
| 3 | Mercurial | 121 | 43 | 74% | 12 | 19 yrs7 owners | Approved |
| 4 | jj (Jujutsu) | 115 | 37 | 76% | 12 | 1 yr7 owners | Approved |
| 5 | Fossil | 106 | 19 | 85% | 13 | 17 yrs7 owners | Approved |
| 6 | Subversion | 54 | 55 | 50% | 12 | 15 yrs4 owners | — |
| 7 | Lore by Epic Games | 45 | 25 | 64% | 5 | — | — |
| 8 | Perforce Helix Core | 37 | 26 | 59% | 10 | — | — |
| 9 | Pijul | 32 | 14 | 70% | 9 | 6 yrs4 owners | Approved |
| 10 | Zed DeltaDB | 21 | 20 | 51% | 4 | — | — |
| 11 | Perforce Helix Core | 16 | 10 | 62% | 7 | — | — |
| Tied 12 | CVS version control system | 15 | 20 | 43% | 9 | — | — |
| Tied 12 | Sapling | 15 | 4 | 79% | 7 | — | Approved |
| Tied 14 | Git AI | 13 | 0 | 100% | 6 | — | Approved |
| Tied 14 | Darcs | 13 | 1 | 93% | 5 | — | Approved |
| Tied 16 | IBM Rational ClearCase | 12 | 18 | 40% | 8 | — | — |
| Tied 16 | Oak | 12 | 14 | 46% | 2 | — | — |
| 18 | Bazaar | 11 | 10 | 52% | 9 | — | — |
| 19 | Lix | 8 | 7 | 53% | 3 | — | — |
| 20 | Beagle SCM | 7 | 5 | 58% | 2 | — | — |
| 21 | lossy-git | 6 | 2 | 75% | 1 | — | — |
| Tied 22 | BitKeeper | 5 | 4 | 56% | 4 | — | — |
| Tied 22 | Envy/Developer | 5 | 1 | 83% | 4 | — | — |
| Tied 22 | Nit | 5 | 5 | 50% | 4 | — | — |
| Tied 22 | SCCS | 5 | 2 | 71% | 3 | — | — |
| Tied 22 | Twigg | 5 | 0 | 100% | 2 | — | — |
How we rank
Rank is the number of separate people who recommend a product in a Hacker News comment over the past year. Someone who praises the same version control system in five threads counts once.
The badge goes to version control systems that at least 10 people recommend, with recommenders outnumbering critics at least 2 to 1, recommended in at least 4 of the 13 months.
Rankings are never for sale. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes the order.