Git-bug is a distributed bug tracking system designed to operate entirely within a Git repository. Unlike centralized platforms that store issue data on external servers, git-bug treats bug reports as data entities managed by Git itself. This architecture allows developers to create, view, and modify issues while offline, synchronizing changes with teammates using standard Git push and pull commands. Because the issue data is stored within the repository, it serves as a complete backup, mitigating the risk of vendor lock-in associated with proprietary hosting services. The tool does not modify the project's source code files, ensuring the repository remains clean. Users can interact with git-bug through a command-line interface (CLI), an interactive terminal UI, or a local web interface served by the application. The web UI, which runs as a local HTTP server, provides features such as issue filtering, searching, and a code browser. Additionally, git-bug includes a bridge system that allows for importing and exporting data between the local repository and external platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Jira. This enables users to maintain a local-first workflow while still participating in projects hosted on centralized services.
The git-bug tool provides a distributed bug tracking system that integrates directly into existing Git repositories for offline-first development.