Git is a distributed version control system that allows you to track changes to code over time. It is a popular tool for managing code for software projects. Azure Repos is a Git repository hosting service that is part of Azure DevOps. Visual Studio provides two interfaces for managing Git repositories in Azure Repos: the Git menu and Team Explorer.
In this article, you will learn how to:
- Clone a Git repository from Azure Repos
- Create a new branch
- Commit changes to your local repository
- Push your changes to the remote repository
Prerequisites
Before you can get started, you will need the following:
- An Azure DevOps account with the appropriate permissions
- Git installed on your computer
- The Git Credential Manager installed on your computer
Setting Up Git and Visual Studio
To get started with Git and Visual Studio in Azure Repos, follow these steps:
1. Install Git:
If you haven’t already installed Git on your machine, download and install it from git-scm.com. During installation, make sure to select the option to add Git to your system’s PATH, which allows you to use Git from the command line.
2. Install Visual Studio:
Download and install Visual Studio from the official Visual Studio website. Choose the edition that best suits your needs, whether it’s the Community (free), Professional, or Enterprise edition.
3. Create an Azure DevOps Account:
If you don’t have an Azure DevOps account, create one by navigating to dev.azure.com. Azure DevOps provides a suite of services for development teams, including Azure Repos for Git repositories.
4. Create a New Project in Azure DevOps:
After signing in to Azure DevOps, create a new project. Give it a name, choose version control as Git, and set other project settings according to your preferences.
5. Connect Visual Studio to Azure Repos:
Open Visual Studio and navigate to the “Team Explorer” window. Click on the “Connect to a Project” link and choose your Azure DevOps account. Select the project you created earlier.
6. Clone the Repository:
In Visual Studio’s Team Explorer, click on “Clone” and choose the repository you want to work on. This creates a local copy of the repository on your machine.
Basic Git Operations in Visual Studio
Now that you have your project set up, let’s look at some basic Git operations in Visual Studio:
1. Committing Changes:
Make changes to your code, and when you’re ready to commit, go to the “Changes” window in Team Explorer. Enter a commit message describing your changes and click “Commit All.”
2. Branching:
Create a new branch to work on a feature or bug fix without affecting the main code. In Team Explorer, go to the “Branches” tab, enter a branch name, and click “Create Branch.”
3. Merging:
Once your changes are complete, merge them back into the main branch. In the “Branches” tab, right-click on the branch you want to merge into and select “Merge From.”
4. Pushing and Pulling:
Push your changes to the Azure Repos server to share them with your team. Use the “Sync” option in Team Explorer to push and pull changes.
Getting started with Git and Visual Studio in Azure Repos is a straightforward process that empowers developers to collaborate efficiently and maintain a clean version history of their projects. By understanding the basics of Git operations within Visual Studio, you can take full advantage of version control to streamline your development workflow and ensure the reliability of your codebase. As you become more familiar with these tools, you can explore advanced features and practices to enhance your team’s productivity and code quality.