What’s the difference between ClearCase and Git?

There are a lot of major differences (and very few similarities).

What ClearCase and Git Have in Common

Both ClearCase and Git are used for version control. And both have the ability to branch and merge. But that’s where the similarities end.

ClearCase vs. Git: Differences

Architecture

Architecture is the biggest difference between ClearCase and Git. ClearCase is centralized while Git is distributed.

Repository Design

ClearCase repositories are Versioned Object Bases (VOBs). While a team might have multiple large VOBs, they’re all considered part of a monolithic codebase. The same volume of files (typically used in ClearCase) would require exponentially many repositories in Git.

Branching and Merging

Git offers lightweight branching, which can be faster. ClearCase, on the other hand, offers more granular merging.

Cost and Availability

Git is free open source software, but it probably will require proprietary add-ons that come at an additional cost. ClearCase is only proprietary — and it’s expensive.

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