What are the pros and cons using git VS Mercurial with Xcode for iOS development in big teams?

Question

We want to work together on one project, checking out/in files.

Some devs recommend git, others prefer Mercurial. Does anyone have experience with both and can tell why I should spent time on Mercurial which doesn't integrate with Xcode rather than just using git which does integrate?

What are the benefits when I would use git instead of Mercurial? And what are the benefits when I would use Mercurial instead of git?

Last but not least: Is there a quick guide that shows how to set up git so that multiple machines & Xcodes can start working on the same project?

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big = 5 people (yeah, for me that is huge, really) ;)

Answer 1

git and Mercurial are very similar in nature. They are both DVCS and have subtle differences only.

See : http://hginit.com/ for a good fast overview and setup. Check if you like how it is going to be working with Mercurial

See their subtle differences here : https://www.mercurial-scm.org/wiki/GitConcepts
And also some views form the other side : http://whygitisbetterthanx.com/

It is very easy to get started on both.

I prefer Mercurial because it is easy to fit in the head. The basic operations suffice. The sheer number of command variations in git usually puts me off. It feels a bit more indulgent.

How ever, as you have noted. Xcode integration can be a differentiating factor for you.