Visual Studio Team Services Git your build face on

This page describes configuration settings required to enable GIT integration when building code in Visual Studio team Services.  It will show you how to
  • Enable CI builds when a specific GIT repository and branch are updated
  • Provide the CI build with permissions required to make changes to a GIT repository
  • Provide the CI build with credentials required to make changes to a GIT repository
This diagram shows how GIT and Visual Studio Team Services (VSTS) might be used to implement a CI build triggered on check-in that merges code into another branch and deploys it.  The actual deployment commands are out of scope for this document.



The following changes must be made on the Repositories configuration at the Project (Team) level and on the affected individual build definitions. We first show project level configuration and then Build Definition configuration.

Let VSTS Builds Update GIT Repository

Some builds may need to update a GIT repository upon build success.  This could be to merge with another branch, add test results or some other process. This change occurs at the VS Team Project level.
The build account must have GIT update permissions.This is a repository level control that must be set in the VS TS Control panel. 

This can be applied at the repository or branch level.  The picture to the right shows where to click to set this at the repository level.

All branches inherit permissions set at this level




Access control attributes "Branch creation" and "Contribute" have default values of "Not Set".  Change these to "Allow".

Access control attributes "Read" and "Tag Creation" have default values of "Inherited allow".  That level is sufficient for our needs.  Do not change them.




Enabling GIT Build Integration

Builds are bound to code repositories.  Builds must be configured to point to the correct Git repository and branch. This change is made on each build that requires Git access. This must be done for every build that is triggered by check-in changes.

Configure the Repository on the Build -> Definitions tab tied to he build itself.  This is not done on the project Control Panel.

Triggering Builds on Changes

Continuous Integration builds trigger whenever the source code repository is updated.  This must be done for every build that is triggered by check-in changes.

Configure build triggers on the Triggers pane of the Build -> Definitions tab tied to the build itself.  This is not done on the project Control Panel.






Provide Credentials for GIT Updates


Some builds may need to update a GIT repository upon build success.  This could be to merge with another branch, add test results or some other process.

The build account must have GIT update permissions as described above.

The build itself must present the build account's OAuth token to GIT when running any GIT update commands, usually "GIT push"

Enable OAuth tokens in scripts on the Definitions -> Option pane.

Troubleshooting

This error means you have not enabled credentials propagation.  You must enable the OATH Token.
##[error]bash: /dev/tty: No such device or address

References

The following web pages or blog articles were helpful while learning this information
  • https://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/docs/build/scripts/git-commands#enable
  • http://stackoverflow.com/questions/38670306/executing-git-commands-inside-a-build-job-in-visual-studio-team-services-was-vs
  • https://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/docs/setup-admin/permissions

Created 2016 Oct 16
Updated 2016 Oct 26 Added doc pipeline

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