As a product guy (and the official VP of Product at Axosoft), it’s always super exciting for me when we launch something new. Today, I have a couple of exciting announcements. Let’s jump right in, and then I’ll give you a little background about each announcement.
- First, we are introducing GitKraken Pro, a paid version of GitKraken with an enhanced feature set. While GitKraken will continue to be free, GitKraken Pro will help offset some of the development costs of GitKraken to make sure it continues to be the best Git client in the world.
- Second, we are teaming up with Scott Hanselman to help raise awareness and money for diabetes and the Nightscout Foundation. Its mission is to create open source technology projects that enhance the lives of those with Type 1 diabetes. To that end, we will donate 100% of GitKraken’s first-month revenues to the Nightscout Foundation from now until August 28th. Look for updates on social media with the hashtags #WeAreNotWaiting and #GitKrakenPro.
Axosoft is teaming up with the Nightscout Foundation to help raise money for an open source diabetes project.
GitKraken and GitKraken Pro
About two years ago, Axosoft started work on a Git client that would change the way developers interact with Git. While the Git Command Line Interface (CLI) provides a powerful means of interacting with Git repositories, it’s also a maze of convoluted, verbose commands that are hard to remember and extremely error prone, which make it difficult to harness the power of Git.
A couple of my colleagues at Axosoft felt there was a much better, more visual way to interact with Git and to see the history of interactions. The result was the introduction of GitKraken about a year ago.
Axosoft has made a huge bet on GitKraken, investing millions in its development, and we are hell-bent on making GitKraken the #1 Git client in the world. Based on user reactions and the feedback we’ve been getting, we are well underway to achieving that goal:
Trying out @GitKraken, and I’m impressed. AFAIT, this thing actually lets you do almost anything you can do from the CLI.
— David Baumgold (@singingwolfboy) June 21, 2016
Best Git client EVER. #Axosoft @GitKraken And it’s #crossplatform https://t.co/9HStVkpv7z pic.twitter.com/4yBAEP4sQi
— Elijah Duffy (@ENDev15) June 22, 2016
@GitKraken the first git UI I feel like I can trust. Elegant, responsive,cross platform. It takes a lot to get me off console…but this wow
— Steven (@stvndall) May 28, 2016
@GitKraken has given me the confidence to navigate and learn Git using an approach supported, not hindered, by the GUI. #git #awesome
— Jonathan Storey (@jonistorey) June 26, 2016
Really liking @GitKraken! Sourcetree has a thing or two to learn from it. early days still but looking like I may have a new favorite.
— Matheus Guimaraes (@mdefineg) February 13, 2016
@GitKraken The fact that I am using a GUI for my git operations IS actually extraordinary… So well done, you convinced me 😉 #GKDevLife
— Justine Lejeune (@djouuuuh) June 28, 2016
🔞
love @GitKraken and ████ you #CLI, just ████ YOU!— MⒶT (@MATsxm) March 29, 2016
@starbuckbeak @GitKraken Oh my dark gods below it has UI for merge conflict resolution. I feel dirty just using it. What salacious software!
— Tristen Unrau (@starbuckbeak) May 13, 2016
I’ve been teaching a team of designers and developers to collaborate using @GitKraken. I’ve never been so proud of my team! #GKDevLife
— Michael Youngblood (@aliendev2) June 28, 2016
I would like to share my unabashed love of GitKraken… and it isn’t just because cephalopods are awesome https://t.co/GqViuOYG7G
— Bel Pokemon Purveyor (@belghast) June 29, 2016
@GitKraken I <3 GK! 😀 Finally UI matches intuition. I’m teaching Git thru GK, (mostly) leaving CLI, and getting every nearby team on it!
— Jan Van Bruggen (@JanCVanB) July 6, 2016
But the number one question we hear from users is, “how are you going to pay for GitKraken’s development?” Fortunately, Axosoft has been successful enough to have invested in GitKraken development thus far and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
But to really make sure GitKraken can stand on its own and enjoy the attention and resources it deserves, we are introducing GitKraken Pro, a paid edition of GitKraken that is targeted at professional developers.
There are so many exciting things we have planned for GitKraken and GitKraken Pro, but for now, here is a handy-dandy comparison chart to see the current differences in the products:
Diabetes and The Nightscout Foundation
It has been a long-time belief of Axosoft that corporations have a social obligation to help improve the world. With the launch of GitKraken Pro, we saw the opportunity to help raise money and increase awareness for an important nonprofit that is helping people and families affected by Type 1 diabetes.
Why diabetes? Well, because one of my favorite software developers, and friend, Scott Hanselman has lived with Type 1 diabetes all of his life. If you don’t already know him, Scott is a prominent member of the development community, a brilliant speaker, and an all-around great human being. Scott’s presentations are among the best I have ever seen because they are not only highly educational, but they are insanely funny—as in stand-up comedian-level of funny!
I approached Scott to ask about which diabetes non-profit we should help support, and without hesitation, he recommended the Nightscout Foundation.
The Nightscout Foundation is helping support the creation and distribution of open-source diabetes management systems that are making a real difference in people’s lives. With this promotion, we hope to accelerate the impact the Nightscout Foundation is having in the lives of those affected by diabetes.
The Nightscout Foundation exists to encourage and support the creation of open source technology projects that enhance the lives of people with Type 1 diabetes.
There is no upper limit to how much money Axosoft will donate to the Nightscout Foundation through the first month’s revenues of GitKraken Pro.
The most exciting aspect of this partnership is the awareness this promotion can create within the software development community. Because much of the work of the Nightscout Foundation is about building open source tools for the diabetes community, some GitKraken users might be in a great position to help build some of those tools.