Choosing the right tool to track DORA metrics can be overwhelming. From open-source solutions to enterprise platforms, there are dozens of options. This guide compares the leading DORA metrics tools so you can make an informed decision.
The four DORA metrics—deployment frequency, lead time for changes, change failure rate, and mean time to recovery—have become the industry standard for measuring software delivery performance. But measuring them requires the right tooling.
DORA Metrics Tool Categories
Tools for DORA metrics fall into several categories:
| Category | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Analytics Platforms | Purpose-built, comprehensive, low setup effort | Subscription cost, potential vendor lock-in |
| DevOps Platform Native | Built-in, no additional cost, seamless data | Limited to one platform, often premium tier |
| Open Source | Free, customizable, no vendor dependency | Requires maintenance, setup complexity |
| Build Your Own | Complete control, exact requirements | Engineering time, ongoing maintenance |
Engineering Analytics Platforms
These purpose-built platforms specialize in engineering metrics including DORA:
CodePulse
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Small to mid-size teams wanting comprehensive metrics fast |
| DORA Coverage | All four metrics with automated calculation |
| Integrations | GitHub (GitLab and Bitbucket coming soon) |
| Setup Time | 5 minutes to first insights |
| Unique Features | Review network visualization, file hotspots, knowledge silos |
CodePulse provides DORA metrics alongside deeper engineering insights like review patterns and code ownership analysis. It's designed for teams that want actionable insights, not just dashboards.
LinearB
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Teams wanting workflow automation alongside metrics |
| DORA Coverage | All four metrics with benchmarking |
| Integrations | GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Jira, Slack |
| Unique Features | WorkerB automations, gitStream workflow engine |
| Pricing | Free tier available, paid tiers for advanced features |
Jellyfish
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Enterprise engineering organizations, executive reporting |
| DORA Coverage | All four metrics with strategic alignment views |
| Integrations | Git, Jira, roadmapping, incident, calendar tools |
| Unique Features | Business context correlation, investment allocation analysis |
| Pricing | Enterprise pricing (typically $100K+/year) |
Swarmia
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Teams focused on developer experience alongside metrics |
| DORA Coverage | All four metrics plus SPACE framework |
| Integrations | GitHub, GitLab, Jira, Linear, Slack |
| Unique Features | Working agreements, investment balance tracking |
| Pricing | Per-seat pricing, scales with team size |
Faros AI
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Large enterprises needing custom metrics and extensibility |
| DORA Coverage | Standard DORA plus custom metric builder |
| Integrations | 200+ data sources, extensive connector library |
| Unique Features | Custom dashboards, data warehouse approach |
| Users | Box, Coursera, GoFundMe, Salesforce |
DevOps Platform Native Tools
If your organization is standardized on one DevOps platform, native tools may be the simplest option:
GitLab (Value Streams Dashboard)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Teams fully committed to GitLab ecosystem |
| DORA Coverage | All four metrics out of the box |
| Requirements | GitLab Ultimate tier subscription |
| Limitations | Assumes GitLab-only workflow, no external integrations |
GitHub (Insights)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Basic repository-level insights |
| DORA Coverage | Limited—requires third-party actions or tools for full DORA |
| Requirements | GitHub Enterprise for some features |
| Limitations | No native DORA dashboard, need extensions |
Datadog (DORA Metrics)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Teams already using Datadog for observability |
| DORA Coverage | All four metrics with custom dashboards |
| Unique Features | Correlate DORA with infrastructure metrics |
| Limitations | Requires CI/CD pipeline integration setup |
Jira (with Plugins)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Teams wanting metrics in existing Jira workflow |
| DORA Coverage | Partial—requires multiple plugins for full coverage |
| Plugins Needed | Velocity, Jira Align, or third-party add-ons |
| Limitations | Complex setup, plugin costs add up |
Open Source Options
Apache DevLake
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Organizations with DevOps resources for setup and maintenance |
| DORA Coverage | All four metrics with pre-built dashboards |
| Integrations | GitHub, GitLab, Jira, Jenkins, and more |
| Requirements | Self-hosted infrastructure, maintenance resources |
| Limitations | Setup complexity, ongoing maintenance burden |
Grafana + Prometheus
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Teams already using Grafana for observability |
| DORA Coverage | Requires custom setup—flexible but manual |
| Requirements | CI/CD instrumentation, custom dashboards |
| Limitations | Significant engineering effort to set up |
💡 Build vs. Buy Considerations
Building your own DORA metrics dashboard seems attractive—you get exactly what you want. But consider: a dedicated platform costs ~$5-20 per developer per month. Building and maintaining your own takes engineering time worth far more. Unless you have unique requirements, buying usually wins.
Feature Comparison Matrix
| Feature | CodePulse | LinearB | Jellyfish | DevLake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All 4 DORA Metrics | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cycle Time Breakdown | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Review Analytics | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Knowledge Silos | Yes | No | No | No |
| Setup Time | 5 min | 15 min | Days | Hours+ |
| Self-Hosted Option | No | No | No | Yes |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (OSS) |
How to Choose the Right Tool
Choose CodePulse If:
- You want fast setup with immediate value
- You need insights beyond just DORA (review patterns, code ownership)
- You're a small to mid-size team
- You use GitHub as your primary Git platform
Choose LinearB If:
- You want workflow automation alongside metrics
- You need broad integration support (GitLab, Bitbucket)
- You want gitStream for automated code review routing
Choose Jellyfish If:
- You're an enterprise with 200+ engineers
- You need executive-level reporting and business alignment
- Budget isn't a primary constraint
Choose Apache DevLake If:
- You have DevOps resources for setup and maintenance
- You need self-hosted/on-premise deployment
- You want maximum customization
- Cost is the primary driver
Choose GitLab/Datadog Native If:
- You're already standardized on that platform
- You want everything in one place
- You have the required subscription tier
DORA Implementation Tips
Start Simple
Don't try to measure everything at once. Start with deployment frequency and lead time—they're easiest to measure and immediately actionable.
Define Your Metrics Clearly
What counts as a "deployment"? A PR merge? A production release? A feature flag enable? Define this before choosing a tool, and make sure the tool supports your definition.
Focus on Trends, Not Absolutes
Your exact numbers matter less than whether they're improving. A tool that shows trends over time is more valuable than one that just shows current state.
Connect to Incidents
Change failure rate and MTTR require incident data. Make sure your tool can integrate with your incident management system (PagerDuty, Opsgenie, etc.).
Getting Started
- Audit your current state: What tools do you already use? What integrations matter?
- Define requirements: Must-haves vs. nice-to-haves. Self-hosted requirement? Budget constraints?
- Trial 2-3 tools: Most platforms offer free trials. Try them with real data.
- Evaluate setup experience: How long to get first insights? Is it maintainable?
- Consider growth: Will this tool scale with your team?
The best DORA metrics tool is one your team actually uses. Prioritize ease of adoption over feature lists. A simple tool that gets used beats a powerful tool that collects dust.
See these insights for your team
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