Our GitHub bill just hit $35k/month and we're freaking out - what are our options?

Yeah, that's the GitHub Enterprise trap. You start with the "cheap" plans, get everyone hooked on the workflow, then discover enterprise features cost extra. A lot extra. Been there - watched our CFO's face when I told him our Git hosting bill was higher than our AWS infrastructure costs. Azure DevOps will cut that to $6k/month for basic Git hosting, but CI/CD agents cost separate. AWS CodeCommit is $1k/month but you'll spend $10k bolting on issue tracking and project management. Self-hosted Forgejo costs zero in licensing but budget $100k/year for a DevOps engineer to keep it running. Bottom line: your current GitHub bill will drop 60-80% with alternatives, but some other line item will definitely cost more.

How long does migration actually take?

Officially? "2-6 weeks for repository migration." Reality? 6 months if you're lucky. I migrated 400 repos from GitHub to Azure DevOps. The Git history moves fast - that part takes days. Unfucking all your CI/CD pipelines, webhook integrations, and API calls takes months. GitHub Actions workflows won't just work in Azure Pipelines despite what Microsoft claims. Budget 40-80 engineer hours per 100 repos, but double that if you have complex automation. And test everything in staging first - learned that lesson when we broke production deployments for a week.

Which alternative won't make our security team lose their shit?

Azure DevOps if you need checkbox compliance - it has every SOC 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP cert your auditors want to see. [Enterprise security features](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/organizations/security/) actually work without paying extra. AWS CodeCommit integrates with IAM beautifully if you're already in AWS. VPC endpoints keep everything private, encryption is automatic. But no built-in code scanning or secret detection - you'll need additional tools. Self-hosted Forgejo gives you complete control but also complete responsibility. Your security team becomes responsible for patch management, vulnerability scanning, access controls. Some teams love that control, others run screaming.

Can these alternatives handle our massive repositories?

Depends what "massive" means to you. GitHub shits the bed around 10GB repos - web interface becomes unusable. Azure DevOps handles 250GB repos without issues. AWS CodeCommit has unlimited repo size but 2GB individual file limits will fuck you if someone commits large binaries. Perforce handles terabyte repos easily but costs $150k+/year for 100 developers. Only worth it if Git fundamentally can't handle your workflow. Pro tip: if your repos are "massive" because of build artifacts or node_modules, fix your .gitignore first before switching platforms.

What about CI/CD? Will our builds keep working?

Short answer: no, your builds will not just work. GitHub Actions workflows need complete rewrites for Azure Pipelines. You'll spend 3 weeks converting `runs-on: ubuntu-latest` to `pool: vmImage: 'ubuntu-latest'` and figuring out why your `uses: actions/checkout@v3` steps throw `##[error]The process '/usr/bin/git' failed with exit code 128` errors in Azure DevOps Server 2022. AWS CodeBuild requires separate buildspec.yml files because fuck consistency - learned this when our deployment pipeline died during Black Friday weekend. Forgejo Actions claims GitHub Actions compatibility and it's mostly true - about 80% of workflows transfer with minor modifications. The other 20% will fail with cryptic `Error: Process completed with exit code 1` messages because the runner can't find Docker or the action doesn't exist in their registry yet. Budget 2-3 months minimum to migrate complex CI/CD setups. Longer if you have custom actions or enterprise runners - then you're fucked for at least 6 months.

What's going to break during migration?

Everything. Seriously, everything will break at least once. I've done this three times and each time I thought "surely this one will be smooth." Nope. **API integrations** - Every third-party tool that talks to GitHub's REST API will throw `401 Unauthorized` errors until you reconfigure auth tokens, endpoint URLs, and webhook signatures. Slack notifications, deployment tools, security scanners - everything breaks. Expect 2 weeks just fixing integrations you forgot existed. **Webhooks** - Different payload formats mean custom webhook handlers puke `400 Bad Request` errors. Azure DevOps sends `workItemId` instead of `issue.number`, so your custom ticket automation dies immediately. **Authentication** - SSO configurations, API tokens, deploy keys all need regeneration. Your deployment pipeline will fail with `Permission denied (publickey)` errors until you regenerate every SSH key and update every CI/CD system. **Links and documentation** - Every wiki page, README, or documentation that links to GitHub issues/PRs becomes broken links. Multiply by 500 repos and you're looking at months of find-and-replace work. Keep GitHub running in read-only mode for 6 months during migration. Trust me on this - I learned it the expensive way.

How much will our DevOps engineer hate us for choosing self-hosted?

A lot. Like, "updating their LinkedIn profile and interviewing elsewhere" level of hate. Self-hosted Git platforms are "free" until your DevOps engineer quits because they're spending 40 hours/week keeping Forgejo running instead of working on actual infrastructure. Database maintenance (PostgreSQL decides to corrupt indexes at random), security updates (that break LDAP auth for a week), backup strategies (that you discover don't work when you need them), high availability configuration (that falls over during traffic spikes), SSL certificate management (Let's Encrypt renewals fail silently until users complain), monitoring (so you know it's broken before users complain), log aggregation (because "where the fuck are the logs" shouldn't be a daily question) - it all becomes your problem. One data point: we calculated it cost $80k/year in DevOps time to run Forgejo for 150 developers. Still cheaper than GitHub Enterprise, but your mileage may vary.

Which platform has the least terrible support?

Microsoft support for Azure DevOps is actually decent - real humans who understand the product. Response times depend on your support tier but even basic support beats GitHub's "submit ticket and pray" approach. AWS support is expensive but effective. Business plan ($100/month) gets you 4-hour response times. Enterprise plan ($15k/month) gets you 15-minute response for critical issues. Self-hosted platforms have community support, which means Stack Overflow and GitHub issues. Good luck when production breaks at 2am.

Should we just stay with GitHub and eat the cost?

Maybe. Switching platforms is expensive in engineering time and opportunity cost. If your GitHub bill is painful but manageable, the migration cost might exceed the savings for years. Run the numbers: migration costs (6 months of reduced productivity) vs. annual savings. If you're paying $300k/year to GitHub, alternatives make sense. If you're paying $50k/year, maybe not worth the pain.

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Git Hosting Alternatives: AI-Optimized Technical Reference

Executive Summary

Git hosting costs scale exponentially with enterprise features. GitHub Enterprise: $21/user/month ($252k annually for 1000 developers). GitLab Ultimate: $99/user/month. Alternative platforms reduce costs 60-80% but introduce different operational complexities.

Critical Cost Factors

GitHub Enterprise Pricing Reality

Base cost: $21/user/month
CI/CD minutes charged separately (doubles typical bills)
Large file storage: $5 per 50GB pack
Premium support: $2,000/month minimum
Breaking point: 10GB repositories cause 5-minute web interface load times

Hidden Cost Multipliers

Compliance features (SOC 2, audit logs, IP allow lists) = additional line items
API rate limits: 5,000/hour (insufficient for 20+ parallel builds)
Webhook failures during outages (no SLA)
Storage overages: 600GB upload triggers $96k surprise bill

Platform Comparison Matrix

Platform	Monthly Cost/User	Deployment	Critical Limitations	Best Use Case
Azure DevOps	$6	Cloud/On-prem	CI/CD agents $40/month each, 30 parallel build throttling	Microsoft ecosystems
AWS CodeCommit	$1	AWS only	2GB file limit, no issue tracking, 2005-era UI	AWS-native orgs
Forgejo	Free	Self-hosted	20 hours/month maintenance, $80k DevOps engineer cost	Privacy-focused
Perforce Helix	$9 + $5k server	On-prem/Cloud	$150k+ annual minimum	Large binary files

Implementation Reality Checks

Migration Timeframes

Official estimate: 2-6 weeks
Actual timeframe: 6 months minimum
Repository transfer: Days
CI/CD pipeline conversion: 2-3 months
Integration fixes: 40-80 engineer hours per 100 repos

Common Migration Failures

API integrations break: All third-party tools throw 401 errors
Webhook payload formats differ: Custom handlers fail with 400 errors
Authentication regeneration: SSH keys, tokens, deploy keys all need replacement
Documentation links: Every GitHub reference becomes broken link

Platform-Specific Gotchas

Azure DevOps

Performance: 30 parallel build limit before throttling
Agent issues: Random disconnects with "Agent lost communication" in v3.225.1
SSH breakage: November 2023 update broke SSH authentication
Timeout: 6-hour build limit breaks overnight processes

AWS CodeCommit

File size: 2GB limit causes fatal: pack exceeds maximum allowed size
Missing features: No issue tracking, project management, web editor
Integration complexity: Requires Jira + Jenkins + additional tools

Forgejo (Self-hosted)

Database failures: PostgreSQL crashes with FATAL: lock file "postmaster.pid" every few months
SSL issues: Let's Encrypt renewal fails silently
Maintenance overhead: 20 hours/month minimum DevOps time
Real cost: $80k annually for dedicated DevOps engineer (150 developers)

Decision Criteria Framework

Cost Threshold Analysis

Current GitHub bill < $50k/year: Migration likely not cost-effective
Current GitHub bill > $300k/year: Alternatives mandatory for budget survival
TCO calculation: Include migration costs (6 months reduced productivity)

Technical Requirements

Repository size > 10GB: Avoid GitHub, consider Azure DevOps or Perforce
Binary files > 2GB: AWS CodeCommit unusable, Perforce required
Compliance needs: Azure DevOps (built-in) or AWS (with additional tooling)
Microsoft ecosystem: Azure DevOps native integration
AWS ecosystem: CodeCommit with IAM integration

Organizational Factors

DevOps team capacity: Self-hosted requires dedicated engineer
Change tolerance: 6-month productivity impact during migration
Support requirements: Microsoft/AWS paid support vs community forums

Critical Warnings

Performance Breaking Points

GitHub: 10GB repositories = 5-minute load times, browser unresponsive warnings
Azure DevOps: 250GB repository limit before performance degradation
API limits: GitHub 5,000/hour insufficient for large CI/CD operations

Support Reality

GitHub standard: 3-day response, "try restarting" quality
GitHub premium: $2,000/month for 8-hour response
Azure DevOps: Decent support included in base pricing
AWS: Business ($100/month) = 4-hour response, Enterprise ($15k/month) = 15-minute
Self-hosted: Stack Overflow and prayer

Infrastructure Dependencies

Azure DevOps: Requires Microsoft ecosystem for optimal value
CodeCommit: AWS lock-in but seamless integration if already committed
Forgejo: Linux expertise, PostgreSQL administration, SSL management
Perforce: Windows/enterprise infrastructure, dedicated hardware

Resource Requirements

Migration Team Sizing

200 repositories: 6-week migration with 2 engineers full-time
400 repositories: 6-month migration with 4 engineers
Complex CI/CD: Add 50% to timeline estimates

Ongoing Operational Costs

Azure DevOps: $6/user + $40/CI agent (calculate 1 agent per 20 developers)
AWS CodeCommit: $1/user + additional tooling costs ($5-10k/month)
Forgejo: Free license + $80k DevOps engineer + infrastructure costs
Perforce: $9/user + $5k/month server + mandatory support contracts

Compliance and Security Configurations

Azure DevOps Enterprise Security

SOC 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP certified
Built-in audit logs, IP restrictions
LDAP/SSO integration included
Advanced security features standard

AWS CodeCommit Security

IAM integration (if already using AWS)
VPC endpoints for private traffic
Encryption automatic
Missing: Code scanning, secret detection (requires additional tools)

Self-hosted Security Responsibilities

Patch management for host OS, database, application
Vulnerability scanning implementation
Access control configuration
Backup and disaster recovery planning

Success Metrics and Monitoring

Cost Reduction Validation

Track monthly Git hosting costs vs previous GitHub bills
Monitor CI/CD costs separately (often increases with migration)
Calculate total TCO including migration engineering time

Performance Benchmarks

Repository clone times for large repos
Web interface responsiveness
API response times for CI/CD operations
Build queue wait times

Operational Health Indicators

System uptime percentage
Support ticket response times
Developer satisfaction surveys
Time to onboard new repositories

This reference provides decision-making framework for organizations facing Git hosting cost pressures while maintaining operational requirements.

Useful Links for Further Investigation

Resources That Actually Help (Skip The Marketing Bullshit)

Link	Description
Azure DevOps Migration Overview	Microsoft's migration docs are surprisingly decent. Actual engineers wrote this, not the usual marketing word salad.
GitHub to Azure DevOps Migration Guide	GitProtect guide with real war stories from people who survived migrations. Bookmark this shit.
CodeCommit Getting Started Guide	Standard AWS documentation quality: technically accurate but written like a tax code
CodeCommit Integration with IAM	Actually useful if you're already drowning in AWS permission hell. You'll be here for hours.
Forgejo Installation Guide	Decent docs but prepare to spend weeks on edge cases they conveniently forgot to mention
Gitea to Forgejo Migration	If you're stuck on Gitea's sinking ship, this explains how to jump before it fully goes under
DevOps Platform Feature Matrix	Spacelift did the homework so you don't have to. Solid feature breakdown across 20+ platforms without the sales pitch. Actually useful, not like most "comparison" articles that are thinly veiled ads.
Cost Analysis: GitHub vs GitLab vs Azure DevOps	Finally, someone who talks about actual TCO instead of marketing list prices that don't include the shit you actually need. They include CI/CD costs, which every other analysis conveniently ignores.
Microsoft FastTrack for Azure DevOps	Free migration help for enterprise customers. Takes forever to get scheduled but they know what they're doing
Azure DevOps Migration Services	Third-party pros who've done this hundreds of times
Stack Overflow Azure DevOps	Actual engineers sharing real solutions to problems you'll definitely encounter
Azure DevOps Community	Microsoft's official forum where their employees actually respond (sometimes)
Forgejo Community	Open source community support, which means "figure it out yourself"

Git Hosting Alternatives: AI-Optimized Technical Reference

Executive Summary

Critical Cost Factors

GitHub Enterprise Pricing Reality

Hidden Cost Multipliers

Platform Comparison Matrix

Implementation Reality Checks

Migration Timeframes

Common Migration Failures

Platform-Specific Gotchas

Azure DevOps

AWS CodeCommit

Forgejo (Self-hosted)

Decision Criteria Framework

Cost Threshold Analysis

Technical Requirements

Organizational Factors

Critical Warnings

Performance Breaking Points

Support Reality

Infrastructure Dependencies

Resource Requirements

Migration Team Sizing

Ongoing Operational Costs

Compliance and Security Configurations

Azure DevOps Enterprise Security

AWS CodeCommit Security

Self-hosted Security Responsibilities

Success Metrics and Monitoring

Cost Reduction Validation

Performance Benchmarks

Operational Health Indicators

Useful Links for Further Investigation

Resources That Actually Help (Skip The Marketing Bullshit)

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