Spire vs Lazygit: see your repo, or drive it from the keyboard.
Lazygit is a superb terminal UI for Git, and plenty of developers never want to leave it. Spire is the opposite instinct: a native Mac window where you can see the graph, the diffs and every branch at a glance. Different tools for different tastes.
Lazygit is a free, open-source terminal UI for Git: fast, keyboard-driven, and it goes anywhere your terminal goes. Spire is a native macOS app with a visual workspace: the commit graph, diffs and branches, all on screen and clickable. This is not a feature duel. It is a choice between a terminal tool and a visual Mac GUI.
We are not here to replace your terminal.
- Lazygit is free and open source. Keep it as long as you like.
- Spire and Lazygit read the same repositories, so use either, or both.
- A GUI is not better than a TUI. It is a different way to work.
- If the terminal is your home, Spire is probably not for you, and that is okay.
A repository you can look at.
Graph
The whole history, on screen
Click
No key combos to memorize
Native
SwiftUI + AppKit, a real Mac window
Undo you can see.
Spire vs Lazygit, in detail.
| Spire | Lazygit | |
|---|---|---|
Interface The core difference: a window you look at, or a terminal you type into. | ||
| Interface | Native Mac GUI | Terminal TUI |
| Visual commit graph | Text-based | |
| Point-and-click | ||
| Keyboard-only workflow | Optional | |
Where Lazygit wins Its model has real advantages Spire cannot match. | ||
| Free & open source | ||
| Cross-platform (Mac, Windows, Linux) | ||
| Runs over SSH / on a server | ||
| Lives inside your terminal | ||
Visual workflow Where a window beats a text screen. | ||
| Commit graph you can see | Text-based | |
| Diffs with syntax highlighting | Terminal colors | |
| Click any file, hunk or line | Keyboard | |
| Quick Look previews | ||
Core Git power Both are genuinely capable. Lazygit packs a lot into the terminal. | ||
| Single-line staging | ||
| Interactive rebase | ||
| Cherry-pick | ||
| Conflict resolution | Visual resolver | In-terminal |
| Undo (reflog) | ||
| External diff tools | Configurable | |
Setup One is an app you open, one lives in your shell. | ||
| Bundled Git, zero setup | ||
| Nothing to install beyond the app | Needs Git + terminal | |
| Auto-update (signed) | Via package manager | |
Where Lazygit is the better call.
You live in the terminal.
If your hands never leave the keyboard, Lazygit is faster than any mouse. Spire is a window, and that is the whole point, and sometimes the wrong one.
You work over SSH or on servers.
Lazygit runs anywhere your shell does, including a remote box with no display. Spire is a local Mac app.
You want it free and open source.
Lazygit is both. Spire is a commercial app you buy once.
You are on Windows or Linux too.
Lazygit runs everywhere. Spire is macOS only.
You value raw keyboard speed.
Lazygit is built around it, with a huge and active community. That momentum is real.
Should you choose Spire or Lazygit?
Choose Spire if...
- You would rather see your repository than recite it
- You want a native Mac window, graph, diffs and all
- You are newer to Git and want it visual
- You like clicking through history and branches
- You want a polished app with support behind it
Choose Lazygit if...
- You live in the terminal and love it there
- You want raw keyboard speed
- You work over SSH or on headless servers
- You want it free, open source and everywhere
- You are on Windows or Linux as well
Frequently asked questions
Sort of, but they are different kinds of tool. Lazygit is a terminal UI, Spire is a native Mac GUI. If you want to see your repository in a window instead of driving it by keyboard, Spire is the alternative. If you love the terminal, Lazygit is hard to beat.
Neither is better, they are for different preferences. A GUI suits visual thinkers and people newer to Git, a terminal UI suits keyboard-driven developers who live in the shell. Try both, they read the same repositories.
Yes. They both just operate on plain Git repositories, so you can drive a repo from Lazygit and open the same one in Spire whenever you want to see it.
Lazygit is free and open source. Spire is a commercial app you buy once. If free and open source is a must, Lazygit is your tool.
No. Spire is a local macOS app. For Git on a remote server with no display, Lazygit is the right choice.
No. Spire ships its own bundled Git. Lazygit expects Git to be installed on your system already.
For a fast typist, keyboard-driven Git can be quicker. Spire trades a little of that speed for something you can see: the graph, the diffs and the branches, all at once.
Comparison based on publicly available information about Lazygit and provided for orientation. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.
Try Spire on your own repositories.
Free for 30 days, no account, no credit card. Keep Lazygit right where it is, the two get along fine.