GitComet

GitComet is an open-source desktop Git client designed to maintain responsiveness and functionality when browsing large repositories and complex file diffs. The software is available for Linux, Windows, and macOS, and it is built specifically to handle the scale of massive codebases where other GUI clients often struggle with performance.

Users deploy the application as a standalone desktop app or integrate it into their existing Git workflow via the command line. It can be configured as a global diff and merge tool, allowing it to be invoked directly by git difftool and git mergetool commands. This integration supports both interactive GUI windows for manual resolution and headless modes for environments where a display is not available, such as CI pipelines or automated scripts.

Key features

• Local-first workflow for staging, committing, and managing remotes
• Support for worktrees, branching, and full commit history
• Multi-repository browsing within a single interface
• Inline and side-by-side diff views
• Two-way and three-way merge tools
• Custom theme support via JSON bundle files
• Headless mode for CI and script-based merge/diff operations
• Automatic crash reporting with backtrace details

The application is written in Rust and utilizes the GPUI framework for its interface. It requires a local installation of Git version 2.50 or newer to function. The architecture allows it to act as a drop-in replacement for diff and merge tools by supporting similar invocation forms and positional arguments. For developers, the software provides a dedicated setup and uninstall command to manage Git configuration entries idempotently, ensuring that previous user settings are backed up and restored when the tool is removed.

GitComet is licensed under the AGPL-3.0 and is a high-performance tool for developers and teams prioritizing local-first privacy and open-source freedom.