GitHub Desktop vs The Command Line

02 Feb 2026

Thoughts

When I first learned to code, I learned Git through the command line and although there was an initial learning curve, getting down the basics of pulling, commiting, pushing, and merging would prove to be very useful skills that have actually landed me some jobs. After getting a job as a mobile app developer for Manoa Now, I learned how to use GitHub desktop. It was strange at first because I was so used to using the command line to keep track of my changes but after some time, I came around to Desktop’s GUI and the visuals it provides to show the changes you made. Having learned both and now currently expanding my experience with GitHub desktop in ICS 314, I will say that I have a slight preference for the command line due to it being very powerful despite being more difficult to learn. Perhaps GitHub Desktop is just as powerful but I just have yet to learn those capabilities.