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Git-TFS Tutorial

Overview

Git-TFS is a tool that allows you to interact with Team Foundation Server (TFS) and Azure DevOps Server (formerly TFS) from Git. It provides a way to use Git as a client for TFS, allowing you to leverage Git features while working with TFS repositories.

What is Git-TFS?

Git-TFS is an open-source tool that integrates Git with TFS and Azure DevOps Server. It enables Git users to work with TFS repositories, perform operations like cloning, fetching, and pushing changes, and interact with TFS branches and work items.

Installing Git-TFS

Installation on Windows

  1. Download Git-TFS: You can download Git-TFS binaries from the Git-TFS releases page.

  2. Install Git-TFS: Extract the downloaded files and add the directory to your system's PATH environment variable.

  3. Verify Installation: Open a command prompt and run:

    git tfs --version

Installation on macOS/Linux

  1. Install via Homebrew (macOS):

    brew install git-tfs

  2. Install via Package Manager (Linux): Use your distribution's package manager or follow manual installation instructions provided on the Git-TFS GitHub page.

  3. Verify Installation:

    git tfs --version

Basic Git-TFS Commands

Cloning a TFS Repository

To clone a TFS repository into a Git repository:

git tfs clone http://tfs-server:8080/tfs/DefaultCollection $/TeamProject/Repository

Fetching Changes from TFS

To fetch the latest changes from TFS into your Git repository:

git tfs fetch

Pushing Changes to TFS

To push your local changes to the TFS repository:

git tfs push

Checking Out a TFS Branch

To check out a TFS branch:

git tfs checkout $/TeamProject/BranchName

Creating a New TFS Branch

To create a new branch in TFS:

git tfs branch $/TeamProject/NewBranch

Merging TFS Branches

To merge changes from one TFS branch into another:

git tfs merge $/TeamProject/SourceBranch $/TeamProject/TargetBranch

Viewing TFS Changesets

To view TFS changesets:

git tfs changeset <changeset-id>

Resolving Conflicts

To resolve conflicts between Git and TFS:

git tfs checkin --resolve

Examples of Using Git-TFS

Example 1: Cloning a TFS Repository

Clone a TFS repository into a local Git repository:

git tfs clone http://tfs-server:8080/tfs/DefaultCollection $/MyProject

Example 2: Fetching Changes

Fetch the latest changes from TFS:

git tfs fetch

Example 3: Pushing Changes

Push your local commits to TFS:

git tfs push

Example 4: Checking Out a Branch

Check out a specific branch from TFS:

git tfs checkout $/MyProject/FeatureBranch

Example 5: Merging Branches

Merge changes from a feature branch into the main branch:

git tfs merge $/MyProject/FeatureBranch $/MyProject/MainBranch

Example 6: Viewing Changesets

View details of a specific changeset:

git tfs changeset 1234

Common Use Cases

  • Integrating Git with TFS: Leverage Git features while working with TFS repositories.
  • Managing Branches: Create, check out, and merge branches between Git and TFS.
  • Fetching and Pushing Changes: Synchronize changes between local Git repositories and TFS.
  • Conflict Resolution: Resolve conflicts that arise from interactions between Git and TFS.

Summary

Git-TFS is a powerful tool for integrating Git with TFS, allowing you to use Git's features while working with TFS repositories. By using commands like git tfs clone, git tfs fetch, and git tfs push, you can effectively manage your codebase and synchronize changes between Git and TFS.