Best Self Hosted Alternatives to SourceForge

Gitea is a lightweight, all-in-one software development platform for hosting Git repositories and collaborating on code. It provides a web UI and APIs for managing projects, reviewing changes, and automating workflows.

Key Features

• Git repository hosting with web UI (browse code, commits, branches, tags, releases)
• Pull requests with code review, discussions, and merge workflows
• Issue tracker with labels, milestones, and project collaboration features
• Organization and team management with fine-grained permissions
• Built-in CI/CD via Gitea Actions with self-hostable runners
• Integrated package registry capabilities (e.g., npm and Maven)
• Webhooks and REST API for integrations and automation

Use Cases

• Host private Git repositories for teams and organizations
• Replace or complement GitHub/GitLab for lightweight code collaboration
• Run internal CI pipelines and publish packages in an on-prem environment

Limitations and Considerations

• Some advanced enterprise features found in heavier platforms may require external tooling or integrations

Gitea is well-suited for individuals and teams that want a fast, resource-efficient Git forge with modern collaboration features and optional built-in automation. It can serve as a central hub for source code, reviews, issues, and developer workflows in a single service.

Gogs is a painless self-hosted Git service. It is easy to install and runs on multiple platforms, via a binary, Docker, or Vagrant, including Linux, macOS, Windows, and ARM devices. Gogs is 100% open source under the MIT license.

Key Features

• User dashboard, user profile and activity timeline.
• Access repositories via SSH, HTTP and HTTPS protocols.
• User, organization and repository management.
• Repository and organization webhooks, including Slack, Discord and Dingtalk.
• Repository Git hooks, deploy keys and Git LFS.
• Repository issues, pull requests, wiki, protected branches and collaboration.
• Migrate and mirror repositories with wiki from other code hosts.
• Web editor for quick editing repository files and wiki.
• Rich database backend support, including PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite3 or any database backend that speaks one of those protocols.
• Localization over 31 languages.

Use Cases

• Small teams or individuals wanting a lightweight, self-hosted Git service.
• Organizations needing easy deployment via binary or Docker with cross-platform support.
• Developers seeking a private, feature-rich code-hosting solution with issues, PRs, wiki and webhooks.

Limitations and Considerations

• See official sources for current installation options and database backends; the project notes experimental APIs and ongoing maintenance considerations.

Conclusion

Gogs provides a compact, open source Git hosting platform designed for painless self-hosting, easy installation, and broad platform support, with a strong focus on collaboration features and configurable databases.

GitBucket is a Git web platform powered by Scala that provides a GitHub-like experience for hosting and collaborating on Git repositories. It focuses on simple installation, extensibility via plugins, and compatibility with the GitHub API.

Key Features

• Public and private Git repositories with HTTP/HTTPS and SSH access
• Repository browser with online file viewer and editor
• Issues, pull requests, and repository wikis
• Git LFS support for large files
• Activity timeline and email notifications
• Account and group management, including LDAP integration
• Plugin system for adding functionality and integrations
• GitHub API compatibility for tooling and automation

Use Cases

• Run an internal Git server for teams that need a lightweight GitHub alternative
• Host code for small organizations with built-in issues, PRs, and wikis
• Provide a GitHub-compatible API endpoint for CI/CD tools and scripts

Limitations and Considerations

• Requires Java 17 and is commonly deployed as a WAR file on a servlet container
• Database upgrades may require manual migration steps in certain configurations (for example, H2 major-version changes)

GitBucket is well-suited for users who want a straightforward Git hosting platform with familiar collaboration features and a strong plugin ecosystem. Its emphasis on easy setup and GitHub API compatibility makes it practical for both new installations and existing toolchains.

Soft Serve is a self-hostable Git server designed for developers who prefer working from the command line. It provides an SSH-accessible terminal UI (TUI) for browsing and managing repositories, alongside standard Git cloning and pushing workflows.

Key Features

• SSH-accessible TUI for navigating repositories, commits, and files
• Clone and fetch via SSH, HTTP, or the native Git protocol (git daemon)
• Git LFS support (HTTP and SSH backends)
• Repository management over SSH, including creating repositories on demand
• Public-key SSH authentication with configurable access control
• Public/private repositories, optional anonymous access, and collaborator management
• User access tokens for authenticated operations
• Configurable via YAML config file and environment variables
• Supports SQLite (default) or PostgreSQL for metadata storage

Use Cases

• Run a lightweight internal Git server for small teams or homelabs
• Provide an SSH-first Git hosting experience for terminal-centric workflows
• Host repositories with Git LFS assets without deploying a full web forge

Limitations and Considerations

• Focused on SSH/TUI workflows; it is not a full Git forge with issues/PRs
• Git LFS pure-SSH transfer is disabled by default and may require enabling

Soft Serve is a strong fit when you want a simple, fast Git server with practical repository browsing and administration directly over SSH. Its single-binary deployment and flexible clone protocols make it easy to adopt for smaller, self-managed setups.

Review Board is an open source, web-based platform for reviewing code and other project assets like images and documents. It helps teams manage review requests, discussions, and iterative revisions with detailed diffs and strong integration options.

Key Features

• Review requests that group code changes, files, and discussion threads in one place
• Advanced diff viewer with syntax highlighting, interdiffs, moved line detection, and indentation-aware changes
• Inline, multi-line commenting with threaded discussions and issue tracking for required fixes
• Image review and diffing with region-based comments and multiple comparison modes
• Document review workflows (including PDF and office-format review capabilities via extensions)
• Integrations with many SCM systems (including Git, Subversion, Mercurial, and Perforce) and common hosting providers
• Extensible API and extension framework for custom integrations and automation
• Dashboard for tracking incoming/outgoing reviews with filtering and bulk actions

Use Cases

• Team code review workflows outside of Git forge pull requests, especially for multi-repo or non-Git environments
• Reviewing design assets, screenshots, and documentation alongside code changes
• Enforcing review quality with structured discussions and tracked issues before approval

Review Board is well-suited for organizations needing a dedicated, extensible review system that supports both source code and non-code artifacts. Its mature diff tools and broad SCM integration make it a strong option for heterogeneous development environments.

Gerrit Code Review is a code review and project management tool for Git-based projects. It provides a structured review workflow around Git pushes, making it easier for teams to discuss changes and control how updates land in shared repositories.

Key Features

• Side-by-side diff viewer with syntax highlighting and inline comments
• Review-based workflow for proposing, updating, and approving changes
• Integrated Git repository hosting with SSH and HTTPS access for standard Git clients
• Delegatable access controls to manage projects, permissions, and workflows
• Repository maintenance support such as coordinating Git garbage collection across hosted repos
• Plugin architecture for extending server-side functionality

Use Cases

• Enforcing mandatory peer review before changes are submitted to shared branches
• Hosting and managing multiple Git repositories with centralized access control
• Running a review-driven workflow for large or regulated engineering organizations

Limitations and Considerations

• Gerrit’s review model and terminology can require onboarding for teams used to pull-request workflows
• Operating at scale typically involves tuning and operational planning (e.g., repository replication and maintenance)

Gerrit is well-suited for teams that want a rigorous, review-first workflow tightly integrated with Git hosting. Its extensibility and permission model make it a strong option for organizations with complex governance needs.

Pastefy is an open-source, self-hostable Pastebin-style application for sharing and storing code snippets, text files, and lightweight media previews. It provides a web UI and a RESTful API for creating, forking, organizing and retrieving pastes.

Key Features

• Web UI built with Vue and a Java-based backend for creating, forking and managing pastes
• REST API for programmatic paste creation, retrieval and client integrations
• OAuth2 login providers support (multiple providers and custom OIDC configuration)
• Folder and user paste management with admin panel for site administration
• Raw preview, copy button, syntax-aware previews for Markdown, Mermaid, SVG, CSV, GeoJSON, diffs and asciinema recordings
• File upload support and curl-compatible upload endpoint
• Extensions and client libraries (Java, Go, JavaScript/TypeScript) and editor integrations

Use Cases

• Quickly share code snippets, config files or logs with teammates or public audiences
• Store and replay terminal recordings or structured data (asciinema, GeoJSON, CSV) for troubleshooting and demos
• Integrate paste creation into developer tools, CI scripts or editor extensions via the REST API

Limitations and Considerations

• Backend is JVM-based and typically deployed with Maven/Java; requires a Java runtime and a relational database (MySQL commonly used)
• Admin role assignment may require direct database changes for initial setup as noted in administration instructions
• Authentication is primarily OAuth/OIDC based; enterprise directory integrations beyond OAuth may require custom configuration

Pastefy is suitable for teams and individuals who need a lightweight, extensible paste service with API access and rich previews. It balances a modern web frontend with a Java backend and supports common deployment patterns including Docker and Docker Compose.

rgit is a lightweight, high-performance web frontend for browsing bare Git repositories. It provides a modern gitweb/cgit-like interface written in Rust and optimized for fast metadata queries.

Key Features

• Efficient metadata storage using RocksDB for commits, branches, and tags with configurable reindex interval (default: 5 minutes).
• On-demand content loading via gitoxide: files, trees, and diffs are fetched when requested rather than preloaded.
• Small in-memory caching for rendered READMEs and diffs to speed repeated views.
• Modern Rust stack using an Axum web server and Askama-style templates for fast HTML rendering.
• Dark mode UI and a simple repository listing with owner/description support stored in bare repo config files.
• Distributed deployment options: standalone binary, Docker/Docker Compose images, and Nix/NixOS integration.

Use Cases

• Host a fast, read-only browser for an organization’s bare Git repositories to inspect commits, branches, tags, and file contents.
• Provide developers a lightweight alternative to full forge platforms for repository browsing and code review reference.
• Run as a local/self-hosted gitweb replacement on NixOS, in containers, or as a single binary for minimal infrastructure.

Limitations and Considerations

• Designed to work exclusively with bare Git repositories; non-bare repositories are not supported.
• The project focuses on browsing and metadata indexing; it does not provide built-in advanced access controls or user management, so deployments often require a reverse proxy or external auth for protection.
• Newly initialized bare repositories without refs may not appear until refs are packed or at least one commit exists.

rgit is a pragmatic, performance-oriented repository browser for users who need a fast, minimal web UI for bare Git storage. It is particularly suitable when low overhead and fast listing/loading of large repositories are required.

SCM-Manager is a lightweight, web-based source code management server for hosting and managing Git, Mercurial and Subversion repositories. It provides a browser-based UI, centralized user/group/permission management, and a plugin system to extend functionality.

Key Features

• Built-in support for Git, Mercurial and Subversion repositories with a unified web interface
• Rich browser UI configurable without editing text files; administration through the web
• Full RESTful Web Service API (JSON and XML) for automation and integrations
• Centralized user, group and fine-grained permission management
• Simple plugin API with an ecosystem of extensions to add features and integrations
• Lightweight: no external web server or database required; self-contained JVM application
• Distribution options and packaging support including Docker, RPM, DEB and other deploy modules

Use Cases

• Host internal source repositories for development teams with centralized access control
• Integrate repository operations into CI/CD pipelines and automation via the REST API
• Provide a web-based repository browser and permission management for audits and reviews

SCM-Manager is suitable for organizations needing a compact, extensible SCM server that supports multiple VCS backends and offers web-based administration and automation APIs. It is designed to be extended via plugins and deployed on diverse platforms.

minimal-git-server is a small, SSH-based Git server provided as a container image. It exposes repositories over SSH and is controlled via simple CLI commands mapped to SSH subcommands, with accounts and keys defined in a single YAML configuration.

Key Features

• SSH-first Git hosting with repositories stored on a mounted data volume
• Single YAML config file to define accounts, UIDs and allowed public keys
• CLI-style repository management via SSH commands (list/create/rename/remove)
• Lightweight implementation using shell scripts and a container image for Docker/Podman
• Persists server SSH keys and repositories on host-mounted volumes for easy backups
• Designed to be scriptable and automatable from CI or local scripts

Use Cases

• Host private Git repositories for small teams or personal projects on a local server
• Provide simple Git endpoints for CI pipelines or automation scripts that need push/pull access
• Quickly spin up ephemeral or lab Git servers for testing and demos without heavy tooling

Limitations and Considerations

• SSH-only access model; no built-in HTTP(S) or web UI for repository browsing or management
• Minimal access control: permissions are account-level via config and SSH keys; no fine-grained per-branch ACLs or web-based management
• Not a full forge: lacks features such as issues, pull-request UI, user management UI, or built-in hook management beyond raw Git hooks

minimal-git-server is intended for situations that need a simple, containerized Git endpoint with easy scripting and minimal operational overhead. It is best suited to small teams, automation scenarios, and homelab use where advanced forge features are unnecessary.

Kallithea is a web-based source code management platform for hosting and managing Git and Mercurial repositories. It provides a centralized place for browsing code, reviewing changes, and administering repositories with access control and auditing. Built as a fork in the RhodeCode lineage, it targets teams that want a straightforward SCM server with both Git and Mercurial support.

Key Features

• Hosts both Git and Mercurial repositories with a web interface for browsing history, diffs, and file contents
• Pull request / changeset-based code review workflows with inline comments and discussion
• Fine-grained permissions and repository/group management for multi-user environments
• Built-in user authentication options (including external auth integrations) and administrative UI
• Webhooks/integrations for connecting repository events to external systems
• Search and browsing utilities for navigating repositories and changes
• Audit-friendly activity/history views for repositories and users

Use Cases

• Team SCM server for organizations needing both Git and Mercurial in one platform
• Internal code review and collaboration for on-prem development environments
• Central repository hosting for regulated or air-gapped networks

Limitations and Considerations

• Primarily focused on SCM/review; it is not an all-in-one DevOps suite (CI/CD, issues, etc. typically require external tools)

Kallithea fits teams that want a lightweight, administrable Git/Mercurial hosting solution with code review, permissions, and integrations. It is especially useful where Mercurial support is still required alongside Git, without adopting a larger integrated platform.

Forgejo is a self-hosted software forge for Git-based collaboration, providing a familiar workflow for hosting repositories and coordinating development. It focuses on being lightweight, easy to operate, privacy-first, and community governed.

Key Features

• Git repository hosting with web UI and Git-over-SSH/HTTP(S)
• Pull requests (code review) and issue tracking for project coordination
• Wikis and additional collaboration tools for documentation and planning
• Organizations, teams, and fine-grained permissions
• Release publishing and built-in package registry for common ecosystems
• Authentication integrations such as LDAP and OAuth/OIDC
• Code search and a configurable, extensible administration experience
• Experimental federation work via ActivityPub (work in progress)

Use Cases

• Replace proprietary Git hosting with an owned, self-managed forge
• Run a private collaboration platform for companies, teams, or communities
• Publish releases and host packages alongside source code in one place

Limitations and Considerations

• Federation features are still a work in progress and may not be complete

Forgejo combines source hosting and project collaboration features in a single, resource-efficient platform. It is suitable for individuals and organizations that want control over their development workflows while keeping operations and maintenance straightforward.

Smederee is an open-source, frugal software forge designed to help teams build software together. It provides repository hosting, issue/ticket management and code review features with modular components for hub and tickets.

Key Features

• Repository hosting and management designed for collaborative development workflows
• Integrated ticketing system with hub/tickets module separation for configurable deployments
• Written for the JVM with Java 17+ compatibility and built using sbt; includes packaged distribution and testing tasks
• Uses PostgreSQL for persistent storage and schema separation between modules
• Deployment guidance for creating distributions, application configuration, database setup and reverse-proxy placement
• Support for colored diffs and darcs-based repository workflows; developer convenience tooling recommended (colordiff, tokei)
• Tests included with sbt integration and options to include/exclude tests that need a database

Use Cases

• Host and manage source code and issue tracking for small-to-medium open-source projects on self-hosted infrastructure
• Provide a forge-style platform for organizations that require modular hub and ticket services with PostgreSQL-backed persistence
• Run development and CI workflows locally using sbt-based build/test tooling and packaged distributions for production rollout

Limitations and Considerations

• Primary repository hints indicate darcs-centric workflows and a custom SSH port; users expecting broad VCS integrations may need to verify supported VCS backends
• Requires Java 17+ and PostgreSQL 13+ with DB timezone set to UTC, which imposes specific platform prerequisites for deployment
• SSH cloning notes mention RSA as recommended and experimental ed25519 support; administrators may need to configure SSH clients and ports carefully

Smederee focuses on a compact, modular forge architecture suitable for administrators who can manage JVM and PostgreSQL infrastructure. It is especially appropriate where a lightweight, self-hosted code-forge with integrated ticketing is required.

RhodeCode is an on-premises source code management platform that unifies repository hosting and collaboration for Git, Mercurial (Hg), and Subversion (SVN). It focuses on centralized access control, auditing, and review workflows suited for organizations with strict security requirements.

Key Features

• Unified repository management for Git, Mercurial, and Subversion
• Built-in code review with inline comments and change discussion
• Centralized permission management and role-based access controls
• Auditing and reporting capabilities for compliance and governance
• Workflow automation and integrations to connect repositories with external tools
• Gists/snippets for sharing code and collecting feedback

Use Cases

• Hosting and governing mixed SCM environments (Git, SVN, Hg) in one platform
• Running secure, behind-the-firewall code collaboration for regulated teams
• Supporting SVN-to-Git migration while maintaining ongoing SVN workflows

Limitations and Considerations

• Some advanced functionality and official support are part of the Enterprise Edition rather than the Community Edition

RhodeCode is a strong fit for teams that need a unified, security-focused code collaboration hub across multiple version control systems. It combines repository management, reviews, and permissions into a single platform designed for enterprise governance.

Phorge is an open source, self-hosted platform for software teams that combines code review, task tracking, and project collaboration in a single web application. It is a community-driven continuation of the Phabricator codebase and workflow.

Key Features

• Built-in code review workflow (Differential-style) and repository hosting/integration
• Task and project management with workboards (Kanban-style boards)
• Audit trails and activity feeds across code, tasks, and projects
• User and permission system for controlling access to projects and objects
• Web-based UI for browsing changes, reviewing revisions, and managing work

Use Cases

• Running an internal code review system for Git-based development
• Managing engineering tasks and projects alongside code changes
• Hosting an integrated collaboration hub for software teams and organizations

Limitations and Considerations

• Installation and maintenance can be more involved than lighter-weight tools due to its broad feature set and dependencies

Phorge fits teams that want an integrated, on-premises alternative to hosted developer platforms while keeping code review and work tracking tightly connected. It is particularly suited for organizations that prefer the Phabricator-style workflow and unified tool suite.

GitLab is a web-based DevOps platform that combines Git repository hosting with tools for planning, code review, CI/CD, and software delivery. It provides a single application for managing the software lifecycle from idea to production.

Key Features

• Git repository hosting with access controls and protected branches
• Merge requests for code review, discussions, and approvals
• Integrated CI/CD pipelines defined as code, including runners integration
• Issue tracking, boards, milestones, and labels for project planning
• Built-in package and container registries for distributing artifacts
• Security and compliance capabilities such as SAST/DAST (availability varies by edition)
• Webhooks and APIs for integrations and automation

Use Cases

• Hosting private Git repositories for teams with review workflows
• Building and deploying applications using integrated CI/CD pipelines
• Managing end-to-end software projects with issues, epics, and boards

Limitations and Considerations

• Some advanced security, governance, and portfolio features are limited to paid editions
• Resource usage can be significant for larger installations, especially with CI/CD and registries

GitLab is well-suited for organizations that want an integrated, end-to-end DevOps workflow in a single product. It can replace a collection of separate tools for source control, CI/CD, and project tracking while keeping workflows closely connected.

Pagure is an open source, self-hosted Git forge used to host and collaborate on source code repositories. It provides a web interface and APIs for common development workflows such as code review, issue tracking, and project administration.

Key Features

• Git repository hosting with web UI for browsing code, commits, branches, and tags
• Pull request workflow for code review and discussion
• Issue tracking with labels/tags, milestones, and commenting
• Project management features such as access control, project settings, and activity views
• Webhooks and APIs for integrations and automation
• Support for multiple projects and team collaboration

Use Cases

• Hosting internal Git repositories for teams that need a fully self-managed forge
• Running an open source project platform with pull requests and issue tracking
• Integrating Git workflows with CI/CD and chat/notification systems via webhooks

Pagure is a solid option for organizations that want a traditional Git hosting experience with integrated pull requests and issue tracking. It fits well in environments that value open source tooling and on-premise control over development collaboration.

Fossil is a distributed software configuration management (SCM) system that combines version control with an integrated project website. It is designed to be reliable, efficient, and easy to host, providing core collaboration tools without requiring multiple separate services.

Key Features

• Distributed version control with simple workflows and optional autosync to reduce needless forking
• Integrated project management tools: ticketing/bug tracking, wiki, forum, chat, technotes, and email alerts
• Built-in, themeable web interface for browsing code, history, tickets, and documentation
• Single self-contained executable for easy installation and deployment
• Repository stored in an SQLite database with atomic transactions and automatic consistency checks
• Network protocol over HTTPS (or SSH) designed to work well behind proxies and over low bandwidth links

Use Cases

• Hosting an all-in-one project forge for small teams (source control, tickets, and documentation)
• Maintaining a lightweight internal code server on a VPS or small device (for example, a Raspberry Pi)
• Managing software projects that benefit from tightly coupled docs, discussions, and change history

Fossil is a strong fit when you want a cohesive, low-ops alternative to assembling separate tools for Git hosting, issue tracking, and documentation. Its single-binary approach and integrated web UI make it especially practical for small deployments that still need full project collaboration features.

cgit is a lightweight, high-performance web interface for browsing Git repositories. It is implemented as a CGI application written in C and focuses on fast rendering and simple deployment.

Key Features

• Repository browsing: commit logs, diffs, trees, tags, and file views
• Side-by-side and unified diffs, plus basic time/author statistics
• Caching of generated HTML for improved performance
• Cloneable “dumb HTTP” URLs for Git over HTTP
• Atom feeds for repository and commit activity
• On-the-fly archive/snapshot generation for tags and commits
• Repository discovery and support for Gitweb-style project lists
• Extensible filtering framework, including script filters and an optional built-in Lua interpreter
• Simple virtual hosting support via macro expansion

Use Cases

• Publishing a fast, minimal Git repository browser for internal or public projects
• Hosting a read-only Git web UI alongside an existing Git server
• Offering snapshots and feeds for users who follow repository activity

cgit is a solid choice when you want a straightforward, resource-efficient Git web frontend with familiar browsing features, optional filtering, and easy integration into traditional web server setups.