If you're a developer or a team of developers looking for a centralized and accessible repository for your project's source code, setting up a Git bare HTTP-available repository on IIS is a great solution. Not only does it allow you to easily track changes and collaborate with your team, but it also enables you to access your code from any location with an internet connection. In this article, we'll walk you through the step-by-step process of setting up a Git bare HTTP-available repository on IIS.
Before we dive into the setup process, let's first understand what a Git bare repository is. A bare repository is a repository that does not have a working directory. It only contains the .git folder, which stores all the version history and metadata for your project. This type of repository is ideal for sharing and collaboration, as it eliminates the risk of overwriting someone else's changes.
Now, let's get started with the setup process. The first step is to install Git on your IIS server. If you haven't already, head to the Git downloads page and download the latest version for Windows. Once the download is complete, run the installer and follow the instructions to complete the installation.
Next, we need to install the Git server component on IIS. To do this, open the IIS Manager and navigate to the server node. Then, click on the "Server Roles" option and select "Add Role Services." In the list of role services, find the "Web Server (IIS) Support for GIT" option and check the box next to it. Click "Next" and then "Install" to complete the installation.
Now that Git and the server component are installed, we can create the bare repository. First, create a new folder on your server where you want to store the repository. For example, you can create a folder named "Git" in the root directory of your IIS server. Next, open a command prompt and navigate to the newly created folder. Then, run the command "git init --bare" to create the bare repository.
Once the repository is created, we need to configure IIS to serve it over HTTP. To do this, open the IIS Manager and navigate to the "Sites" node. Right-click on the "Default Web Site" and select "Add Virtual Directory." In the "Alias" field, enter a name for your repository. For example, you can name it "repo." In the "Physical path" field, enter the path to your repository folder. Click "OK" to create the virtual directory.
Next, we need to configure the virtual directory to use the Git HTTP handler. Right-click on the virtual directory and select "Edit Permissions." In the "Security" tab, click on the "Edit" button and then click on "Add." In the "Enter the object names to select" field, enter "IIS_IUSRS" and click "Check Names." Click "OK" to add the IIS_IUSRS group to the list of users. Then, select the group and check the box next to "Read & execute" under the "Permissions for IIS_IUSRS" section. Click "OK" to save the changes.
Finally, we need to enable the Git HTTP handler. In the IIS Manager, select the "Default Web Site" and then click on the "Handler Mappings" option. In the right-hand pane, click on "Add Module Mapping" and enter the following information:
- Request path: *.git
- Module: GitHttpModule
- Executable: C:\Program Files\Git\bin\git.exe
- Name: Git
Click "OK" to save the changes.
That's it! Your Git bare HTTP-available repository is now set up on IIS. You can now access it using the following URL: http://[server name]/[virtual directory name].git. For example, if your server name is "myserver" and your virtual directory name is "repo," the URL would be http://myserver/repo.git.
In conclusion, setting up a Git bare HTTP-available repository on IIS is a straightforward process that can greatly benefit your development team. With this setup, you can easily collaborate and share code with your team, no matter where they are located. So, why wait? Give it a try and see the difference it makes in your project development.
