In this blog, we’ll explore what Bitbucket is, its core features, how it compares to other Git platforms, and how you can make the most of it in your development pipeline.
What is Bitbucket?
Bitbucket is a Git-based source code repository hosting service developed by Atlassian, the company behind Jira, Confluence, and Trello. It allows developers to store, manage, and collaborate on code repositories in a secure, scalable environment.
Bitbucket supports both Git and Mercurial (support for Mercurial was officially removed in 2020), and it's integrated tightly with Atlassian's ecosystem — making it a favorite for enterprises and teams that use tools like Jira for project management.
Key Features of Bitbucket
Bitbucket is packed with features that cater to developers, DevOps engineers, and project managers. Some of the core functionalities include:
1. Unlimited Private Repositories
Bitbucket offers free unlimited private repositories for small teams (up to 5 users), which is perfect for startups, freelancers, and students.
2. CI/CD with Bitbucket Pipelines
Bitbucket comes with Bitbucket Pipelines, a built-in continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) service. You can automate your testing and deployment workflows with just a bitbucket-pipelines.yml file.
3. Deep Jira Integration
Being part of the Atlassian family, Bitbucket integrates seamlessly with Jira, allowing you to link commits, branches, and pull requests to specific Jira issues for better traceability and workflow management.
4. Pull Requests and Code Review
Bitbucket supports pull requests with inline code comments, making peer reviews and code collaboration efficient and structured.
5. Branch Permissions and Access Control
Bitbucket allows granular branch-level permissions, so you can restrict who can push to or merge into specific branches, helping maintain code quality and security.
6. Smart Mirroring for Distributed Teams
Bitbucket Data Center supports smart mirroring, which helps teams in different geographic locations clone and fetch repositories faster.
Bitbucket Cloud vs Bitbucket Server (Data Center)
Bitbucket comes in two versions:
- Bitbucket Cloud: Hosted by Atlassian, perfect for small to mid-sized teams who want a managed solution.
- Bitbucket Server (Data Center): A self-hosted option for enterprises needing full control over data, security, and infrastructure.
Both options offer similar core features but cater to different use cases in terms of scalability, compliance, and data governance.
Bitbucket vs GitHub vs GitLab
| Feature | Bitbucket | GitHub | GitLab |
| Private Repos (Free) | ✅ Unlimited | ✅ Unlimited | ✅ Unlimited |
| CI/CD Built-in | ✅ Pipelines | ✅ Actions | ✅ GitLab CI |
| Jira Integration | ✅ Native | ???? (via apps) | ???? (via APIs) |
| Self-hosted Option | ✅ Bitbucket DC | ❌ (Enterprise only) | ✅ GitLab Self-hosted |
| DevOps Integration | ✅ Atlassian Suite | ???? GitHub Apps | ✅ Full DevOps |
GitHub is more community-focused with a massive public repository base. GitLab shines in its built-in DevOps lifecycle tools. Bitbucket, however, is the top choice for teams using Jira, Confluence, or Trello, thanks to Atlassian’s seamless ecosystem.
Getting Started with Bitbucket
Starting with Bitbucket is simple:
- Sign Up at bitbucket.org.
- Create a repository (choose Git, public/private).
Clone the repo to your local machine:
git clone https://[email protected]/teamname/reponame.git
Push your code:
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
git push origin master
- Set up Pipelines for CI/CD using a .yml file.
Bitbucket Pipelines Example
Here’s a basic Node.js example for Bitbucket Pipelines:
pipelines:
default:
- step:
name: Build and Test
image: node:14
caches:
- node
script:
- npm install
- npm test
This automates the build and test process every time code is pushed to Bitbucket.
Pros and Cons of Bitbucket
✅ Pros:
- Deep Jira/Atlassian integration
- Free private repositories
- Powerful access control
- Built-in CI/CD with Pipelines
❌ Cons:
- Smaller community than GitHub
- Limited marketplace/apps compared to GitHub
- Slight learning curve for non-Atlassian users
Final Thoughts
Whether you're managing solo projects or working with an enterprise team, Bitbucket offers a reliable, secure, and integrated solution for version control and collaboration. With features like Pipelines, Jira integration, and flexible hosting options, Bitbucket stands as a solid competitor in the Git hosting landscape.
If your team is already using Jira or Confluence, Bitbucket is a natural choice to streamline your DevOps workflow. And if you're just getting started with Git, Bitbucket’s intuitive UI and powerful features make it a great platform to grow your projects.
Read more- https://keploy.io/blog/technology/bitbucket-self-hosting-running-ebpfprivileged-programs