GitButler

A modern Git branch management UI built with Tauri and Rust. GitButler's virtual branch system lets you work on multiple branches at the same time in a single working directory — no stashing, no switching, just ship.

What is GitButler?

GitButler reimagines Git branch management from the ground up. Traditional Git GUIs wrap the same branch-checkout-commit-push flow with a prettier interface. GitButler throws that away and introduces virtual branches: you can have multiple branches active simultaneously in your working directory, assigning individual diff hunks to whichever branch they belong to. When you're ready, GitButler pushes each virtual branch as a real Git branch.

Built with Tauri (Rust backend, WebView frontend), GitButler is fast and lightweight. It integrates with GitHub to create pull requests directly from the UI, and its optional Butler Review feature provides AI-powered code feedback before you open a PR. GitButler is fully open-source under the MIT license.

Key Features

• Virtual branches — multiple branches active simultaneously in one working directory, assign hunks to branches freely
• Stacked PRs — build chains of pull requests that depend on each other, push and update them together
• Butler Review — optional AI-powered code review in the UI before opening a PR
• GitHub integration — create and manage pull requests without leaving GitButler
• Conflict-free branching — virtual branch logic separates changes before they conflict at the Git level
• Tauri + Rust backend — lightweight native app, much smaller than Electron-based alternatives
• Undo history — GitButler tracks its own operation history so you can undo actions that Git itself can't easily reverse
• Cross-platform — native builds for macOS (Apple Silicon + Intel), Linux, and Windows

Installation

# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install gitbutler

# All platforms: download installer from
# https://gitbutler.com/downloads

# Or build from source (Rust + Node required)
git clone https://github.com/gitbutlerapp/gitbutler
cd gitbutler
cargo build --release

After installing, open GitButler and point it at any existing Git repository — no migration or re-cloning required.

Virtual Branches Workflow

The core GitButler workflow replaces the classic checkout → work → stash → switch dance:

1. Open a repository in GitButler and create two or more virtual branches (e.g. feat/auth and fix/header-bug).
2. Make changes in your editor as normal. GitButler shows all uncommitted hunks in the sidebar.
3. Drag-and-drop or click to assign each hunk to the correct virtual branch.
4. Commit each virtual branch independently, with its own commit message.
5. Push one or both branches to GitHub and open pull requests directly from GitButler.

GitButler vs Other Git GUIs

Use Cases

• Working on a bug fix and a feature simultaneously without stashing
• Reviewing someone else's PR while continuing your own work on the same repo
• Separating unrelated improvements (e.g. refactor + new feature) that you made in the same editing session
• Building stacked pull request chains for large features split into reviewable chunks
• Getting AI feedback on your diff before requesting human review

Pros and Cons