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Azure DevOps vs GitHub Actions
Short answer: Pick Azure DevOps if you want integrated CI/CD and agile planning platform; pick GitHub Actions if you want integrated CI/CD on GitHub. Both have a free plan.
Azure DevOpsRepos, pipelines and boards from Microsoft
GitHub ActionsCI/CD and automation built into GitHubWhich to pick
Pick Azure DevOps if you want…
- Integrated CI/CD and agile planning platform
- Integrations with GitHub, Azure Pipelines or Azure Boards (on Azure DevOps' list, not GitHub Actions')
Pick GitHub Actions if you want…
- Integrated CI/CD on GitHub
- Integrations with Node.js, Python or Java (on GitHub Actions' list, not Azure DevOps')
Side by side
- What it is
- Azure DevOps:Azure DevOps provides integrated agile planning, CI/CD, repos, testing and security tools for the full software lifecycle.
- GitHub Actions:GitHub Actions automates CI/CD and other workflows directly from GitHub repositories.
- Best for
- Azure DevOps:Integrated CI/CD and agile planning platform
- GitHub Actions:Integrated CI/CD on GitHub
- Who it’s for
- Azure DevOps:Software teams needing end-to-end DevOps on Azure.
- GitHub Actions:Developers and teams using GitHub who need build, test, and deployment automation.
- Pricing
- Azure DevOps:Freemium
- GitHub Actions:Freemium
- Free plan or trial
- Azure DevOps:Free plan (Free tier) · Free trial
- GitHub Actions:Free plan (Free) · Free trial
- Plans
- Azure DevOps:Free tier $0
- GitHub Actions:Free $0
- Works with
- Azure DevOps:GitHub, Azure Pipelines, Azure Boards, Azure Repos, Azure Artifacts
- GitHub Actions:Node.js, Python, Java, Ruby, PHP, Go, Rust, .NET
Azure DevOps features
- Agile planning. Kanban boards, work tracking and collaboration tools for agile teams.
- CI/CD pipelines. Build, test and deploy code for any language or platform with parallel agents.
- Azure Repos. Unlimited private Git repositories with pull-request workflows.
- Azure Test Plans. Manual and exploratory testing tools to improve code quality.
- Managed DevOps Pools. Customizable Azure DevOps agent pools for cost-effective scaling.
GitHub Actions features
- Hosted runners. Run jobs on Linux, macOS, Windows, ARM, GPU, or containers using GitHub-provided VMs.
- Matrix builds. Execute the same workflow across multiple OSes and runtime versions in parallel.
- Secret store. Store encrypted secrets at repository, environment, or organization level.
- Multi-container testing. Add docker-compose to workflows to test services together.
- Event-driven triggers. Start workflows on any GitHub event, from pushes to issue comments.
- Actions Marketplace. Discover and reuse community-built actions for common tasks.
Azure DevOps vs GitHub Actions FAQ
What is the difference between Azure DevOps and GitHub Actions?+
GitHub Actions: CI/CD built into GitHub, without separate planning boards or test plans.
Should I use Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions?+
Pick Azure DevOps if you want integrated CI/CD and agile planning platform or integrations with GitHub, Azure Pipelines or Azure Boards (on Azure DevOps' list, not GitHub Actions'). Pick GitHub Actions if you want integrated CI/CD on GitHub or integrations with Node.js, Python or Java (on GitHub Actions' list, not Azure DevOps').
Is Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions free?+
Azure DevOps has a free plan (Free tier) and paid plans. GitHub Actions has a free plan and paid plans.
Do Azure DevOps and GitHub Actions integrate with the same tools?+
Their integration lists don't overlap: Azure DevOps lists GitHub, Azure Pipelines, Azure Boards, Azure Repos and 1 more; GitHub Actions lists Node.js, Python, Java, Ruby and 6 more.
On DevHunt
Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.