Microsoft announced this morning that it is bringing Git support to both Visual Studio, and Team Foundation Server.
Git, free software under the GNU public liscence, built at first by Linux-guru Linus Torvalds to help with the construction of that operating system’s kernel, is distributed revision control for collaborative software development projects the world around. To work in open source is to know GitHub and other such ‘repositories.’
Looking to add support for a decentralized version control system (DVCS) in its developer tools, Microsoft scanned the market eventually decided to run with Git, the company’s Brian Harry told TNW. In a blog post released today, Harry noted that there was internal strife over the choice; why not build their own DVCS?
Harry elaborates on this in his entry, stating emphatically that “choosing Git just made sense,” as Microsoft discovered, after serious thought about building an in-house DVCS, that “Git was quickly taking over the DVCS space.” Thus, by working with the emerging market leader it could, I presume, get to market more quickly, and ensure compatibility with what developers in fact want.
The irony to this situation is that Microsoft itself uses centralized version control. However, the company is, smartly, looking outside its walls.
A few facts, to prevent hyperventilating comments: Git support in Team Foundation Server will not replace Team Foundation Version Control (TFVC). That will remain. This is a feature addition, not replacement. There, now stop worrying.
For fun: Microsoft’s Git implementation is ‘based’ on the LibGit2 library. The company has been contributing to the project. Microsoft helping to build open source tools to further an open software project, so that it can bake it into its own developer tools? Yes.
Team Foundation Server will support the hosting of Git repositories “starting today.” Regarding Git support in Visual Studio, today Microsoft “released a CTP of a VSIX plugin” to that end.
Top Image Credit: Marcin Wichary
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