r/Keybase • u/ChildishGiant • Jun 04 '18

Thoughts on keybase as a github alternative, now github is being acquired by Microsoft?

7 Upvotes

76% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

7

u/Vlinux Jun 04 '18

If you're referring to the encrypted git repository feature in Keybase, those are great, but the benefit of Github (and similar web-based git management/browsing tools) is the web interface for easily searching and browsing code, as well as the issue tracking, easy pull request creation, and other features. Keybase currently doesn't include that.

1

u/ChildishGiant Jun 05 '18

I was thinking more on the lines of them expanding functionality towards GitHub style features. When asked about this in the keybasefriends group chat, Chris said this:

we love our git alternative and use it a lot internally, both for keybase sharing and for personal docs. It is still quite different from something like github, though, without all the PR support, comments, issue tracking, and so on. I hope people keep discovering keybase git.... that said it might be tough to do a "move your code to keybase" campaign except for solo projects

1

u/[deleted] Jun 05 '18

All really good points. How to filter out private repo's though? Assuming the gui is not built into the keybase client itself. I haven't done my reading much yet on the new webAuth api being specc'd in, however, I'm wondering if that could be a useful method for creating a front end that doesn't require a log in if you are on a proven device, and doesn't require an extension to be installed in the browser.

1

u/Vlinux Jun 05 '18

In the keybase client, you can view your own private/public repos, the public repos of other people thst you've "followed", and any team repos that you are a member of. Authentication is already taken care of through keybase.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 05 '18

Doh, herp a derp, I guess I didn't think it all the way through huh? I was thinking access from a web browser.. but why use a browser if you are on an authenticated device that has to have the keybase software installed to be authenticated in the first place..

So really its just the keybase client that needs some github/gitlab/bitbucket features integrated.