<p>Q: &quot;<em>What should I do in order to work with Team Foundation Version Control?</em>&quot;</p>
<p>A: TL'DR: Use the <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/repos/tfvc/use-team-foundation-version-control-commands?view=azure-devops" rel="nofollow noreferrer">TFS command line client, <code>tf</code></a>.</p>
<p>?  But why use TFVC ?</p>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azure_DevOps_Server" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Azure DevOps</a> is <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/user-guide/about-azure-devops-services-tfs?view=azure-devops#fundamental-differences-between-azure-devops-services-and-azure-devops-server" rel="nofollow noreferrer">confusingly several products.</a> There is the cloud offering: DevOps Services, formerly known as Visual Studio Team Services, formerly, Visual Studio Online, formerly Team Foundation Service.  There is also an On-Premise offering: Azure DevOps Server, formerly known as Team Foundation Server (now 2020, formerly 2019, 2017, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2018, 2005). They do share a common REST API, albeit the <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/integrate/concepts/rest-api-versioning?view=azure-devops#supported-versions" rel="nofollow noreferrer">on-prem lags behind</a>.</p>
<p>Aside from the delay in getting features into the on-prem variant, the questions of choosing on-prem or cloud have nothing to do with choosing TFVC vs Git. It likely depends more on cost, infrastructure and people resources, geographic and network constraints.</p>
<p>You can see most of the <a href="https://devblogs.microsoft.com/devops/author/erindormierhotmail-com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Product Announcements from the Program Manager here</a>.</p>
<p>From TFS 2005 to 2012, the version control engine was TFVC, a centralized version control tool. <a href="https://devblogs.microsoft.com/devops/getting-started-with-git-in-visual-studio-and-team-foundation-service-2/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Team Foundation Server 2013 added native support as a centralized Git remote host</a> (similar to Github/Gitlab/BitBucket,but on-prem), albeit in separate team projects. <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/repos/git/team-projects?view=azure-devops" rel="nofollow noreferrer">TFS 2015 Update 1</a> (clumsily) allowed hosting both in the <a href="https://devblogs.microsoft.com/devops/tfvc-and-git-repositories-in-the-same-team-project/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">same team project</a>.</p>
<p>But, let's get back to today. Since TFS 2015, Microsoft has put very little effort into improving the TFVC side of their offering. It would seem today, they have essentially abandoned it. <a href="https://github.com/microsoft/team-explorer-everywhere" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Team Explorer Everywhere</a> is no longer maintained. In  2016, they <a href="https://devblogs.microsoft.com/devops/microsoft-open-sources-the-team-explorer-everywhere-eclipse-plugin-for-visual-studio-team-services-and-team-foundation-server/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">open-sourced it</a>. Admittedly, in  2017 <a href="https://devblogs.microsoft.com/devops/reintroducing-the-team-explorer-standalone-installer/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">they did reintroduce it</a> after a large outcry. The <a href="https://marketplace.eclipse.org/content/team-explorer-everywhere" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Eclipse client</a> was last updated for Neon release (2016-06). The <a href="https://plugins.jenkins.io/tfs/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">tfs-plugin for Jenkins</a> has not had a significant release since <a href="https://github.com/jenkinsci/tfs-plugin/releases" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Mar 2018</a>. On 2020-11-06 (Nov 6, 2020), the <a href="https://github.com/microsoft/azure-repos-vscode/blob/master/DEPRECATED.md" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Visual Studio Code plugin</a> will be removed from the VS Code Marketplace; users will have to rely on the <code>tf</code> command line.</p>
<p>The Program Manager's first post <a href="https://devblogs.microsoft.com/devops/microsoft-internal-usage-of-tfs-july-december-2011/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">detailed TFS Usage within Microsoft</a>. Those were <a href="https://devblogs.microsoft.com/devops/tfs-internal-usage-statistics-1st-half-cy-2013-2/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">last updated in 2013</a>. A few years later, they are now boasting of having <a href="https://devblogs.microsoft.com/bharry/the-largest-git-repo-on-the-planet/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the world's largest Git repo</a> and then <a href="https://news.microsoft.com/2018/06/04/microsoft-to-acquire-github-for-7-5-billion/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">acquired GitHub</a>.</p>
<p>The basic question you should be asking is <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/repos/tfvc/comparison-git-tfvc?view=azure-devops" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Choosing the right version control for your project?</a> Do you want a Centralized model or a Distributed model of version control?</p>
<p>I have a lot (decades) of experience managing Centralized and Distributed version control systems. As <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/repos/tfvc/comparison-git-tfvc?view=azure-devops" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MS documents</a>, each have their strengths, weaknesses and trade-offs. But, <strong>why would you choose a centralized version control tool that is provided by a vendor that evidently no longer supports it?</strong></p>
<hr />
<p>PS: Most people visualize Centralized Version Control like this:
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/CxGAc.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/CxGAc.png" alt="Centralized VC, from: https://scmquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/central_vcs.jpg" /></a> (from: <a href="https://scmquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/central_vcs.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://scmquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/central_vcs.jpg</a>)</p>
<p>and Distributed Version Control like this:
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/aLWga.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/aLWga.png" alt="Distributed VC, from: https://scmquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/distributed_vcs.jpg" /></a> (from: <a href="https://scmquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/distributed_vcs.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://scmquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/distributed_vcs.jpg</a>)</p>
<p>But that is really just a &quot;disconnected, centralized model&quot;. Git allows for very <a href="https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Distributed-Git-Distributed-Workflows" rel="nofollow noreferrer">complex distributed workflows</a>, such as show below. You do not get that flexibility using centralized tools. But it can also be a total nightmare to keep track of what's where.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/LBvS2.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/LBvS2.png" alt="Complex VC, from: https://howtodoinjava.com/vcs/how-distributed-version-control-system-works" /></a>
(from: <a href="https://howtodoinjava.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Distributed-VCS.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://howtodoinjava.com/vcs/how-distributed-version-control-system-works/</a>)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-18T15:01:05.897Z
I don't think you need an exhaustive list of every software version, even in a parenthetical statement.
TylerH
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-19T02:00:44.813Z
@TylerH, I don't think you need to edit a three year old question, including fundamentally changing the subject line, but maybe that's just me. "Team Foundation Version Control" is not "Git within Azure DevOps host".
Ian W
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-19T13:27:22.920Z
Well, you're wrong then. The question title did not match the question body, which is what the answers addressed. Now, it does! And the issue with _your_ answer that my first comment raised is still unaddressed. See [editing](https://devops.stackexchange.com/help/privileges/edit) for more info on when and why editing of posts is important on Stack Exchange sites.
TylerH
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-27T07:05:34.227Z
2020-10-27T07:05:34.227Z
Ian W
<p>First, Azure DevOps is the next release of Team Foundation Server 2018 (on premise) and Visual Studio Team System (on cloud).
Therefore, Azure DevOps has two flavors, Azure DevOps Service (on cloud) and Azure DevOps Server (on premise). The latest release of Azure DevOps Server is Azure DevOps Server 2020 that released in this October.</p>
<p>Second, you should not mix TFVC/Git with TFS. TFVC is a centralized source control, was released during the initial release of Team System 2005 (older name of Team Foundation Server). TFVC is also copyright and trade mark of Microsoft. There are other samples of centralized source control such as SVN, CVS, Rational Clear Case.</p>
<p>Git is a distributed source control. Git is open source and it's not owned by any company.</p>
<p>If you want to continue work using TFVC, you can still use TFVC within Azure DevOps Service or Azure DevOps Server. Both of these Azure DevOps products still support TFVC.</p>
<p>For more information, please visit this official docs:
<a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/user-guide/source-control?view=azure-devops" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/user-guide/source-control?view=azure-devops</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-26T14:16:35.390Z
2020-10-26T14:16:35.390Z
Eriawan Kusumawardhono
<p>I am working on Visual Studio projects using Visual Studio Community. I have created local git repositories and remote repositories on <a href="https://dev.azure.com" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://dev.azure.com</a>.</p>
<p>I want to work with Team Foundation Version Control. I need &quot;Microsoft Team Foundation Server&quot;. It seems this product is now called &quot;Azure DevOps Server&quot;. Is it the same thing as <a href="https://dev.azure.com" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://dev.azure.com</a>?</p>
<p>What should I do in order to work with Team Foundation Version Control instead of git?</p>

<azure-devops><tfs>
How to use git repositories in Azure Devops with Visual Studio
Bob5421
# How to use git repositories in Azure Devops with Visual Studio

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-10-23)

I am working on Visual Studio projects using Visual Studio Community. I have created local git repositories and remote repositories on <https://dev.azure.com>.

I want to work with Team Foundation Version Control. I need "Microsoft Team Foundation Server". It seems this product is now called "Azure DevOps Server". Is it the same thing as <https://dev.azure.com>?

What should I do in order to work with Team Foundation Version Control instead of git?

**Tags:** azure-devops, tfs


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-10-27. Score: 2

Q: "*What should I do in order to work with Team Foundation Version Control?*"

A: TL'DR: Use the [TFS command line client, `tf`](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/repos/tfvc/use-team-foundation-version-control-commands?view=azure-devops).

? But why use TFVC ?

[Azure DevOps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azure_DevOps_Server) is [confusingly several products.](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/user-guide/about-azure-devops-services-tfs?view=azure-devops#fundamental-differences-between-azure-devops-services-and-azure-devops-server) There is the cloud offering: DevOps Services, formerly known as Visual Studio Team Services, formerly, Visual Studio Online, formerly Team Foundation Service. There is also an On-Premise offering: Azure DevOps Server, formerly known as Team Foundation Server (now 2020, formerly 2019, 2017, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2018, 2005). They do share a common REST API, albeit the [on-prem lags behind](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/integrate/concepts/rest-api-versioning?view=azure-devops#supported-versions).

Aside from the delay in getting features into the on-prem variant, the questions of choosing on-prem or cloud have nothing to do with choosing TFVC vs Git. It likely depends more on cost, infrastructure and people resources, geographic and network constraints.

You can see most of the [Product Announcements from the Program Manager here](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/devops/author/erindormierhotmail-com/).

From TFS 2005 to 2012, the version control engine was TFVC, a centralized version control tool. [Team Foundation Server 2013 added native support as a centralized Git remote host](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/devops/getting-started-with-git-in-visual-studio-and-team-foundation-service-2/) (similar to Github/Gitlab/BitBucket,but on-prem), albeit in separate team projects. [TFS 2015 Update 1](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/repos/git/team-projects?view=azure-devops) (clumsily) allowed hosting both in the [same team project](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/devops/tfvc-and-git-repositories-in-the-same-team-project/).

But, let's get back to today. Since TFS 2015, Microsoft has put very little effort into improving the TFVC side of their offering. It would seem today, they have essentially abandoned it. [Team Explorer Everywhere](https://github.com/microsoft/team-explorer-everywhere) is no longer maintained. In 2016, they [open-sourced it](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/devops/microsoft-open-sources-the-team-explorer-everywhere-eclipse-plugin-for-visual-studio-team-services-and-team-foundation-server/). Admittedly, in 2017 [they did reintroduce it](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/devops/reintroducing-the-team-explorer-standalone-installer/) after a large outcry. The [Eclipse client](https://marketplace.eclipse.org/content/team-explorer-everywhere) was last updated for Neon release (2016-06). The [tfs-plugin for Jenkins](https://plugins.jenkins.io/tfs/) has not had a significant release since [Mar 2018](https://github.com/jenkinsci/tfs-plugin/releases). On 2020-11-06 (Nov 6, 2020), the [Visual Studio Code plugin](https://github.com/microsoft/azure-repos-vscode/blob/master/DEPRECATED.md) will be removed from the VS Code Marketplace; users will have to rely on the `tf` command line.

The Program Manager's first post [detailed TFS Usage within Microsoft](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/devops/microsoft-internal-usage-of-tfs-july-december-2011/). Those were [last updated in 2013](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/devops/tfs-internal-usage-statistics-1st-half-cy-2013-2/). A few years later, they are now boasting of having [the world's largest Git repo](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/bharry/the-largest-git-repo-on-the-planet/) and then [acquired GitHub](https://news.microsoft.com/2018/06/04/microsoft-to-acquire-github-for-7-5-billion/).

The basic question you should be asking is [Choosing the right version control for your project?](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/repos/tfvc/comparison-git-tfvc?view=azure-devops) Do you want a Centralized model or a Distributed model of version control?

I have a lot (decades) of experience managing Centralized and Distributed version control systems. As [MS documents](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/repos/tfvc/comparison-git-tfvc?view=azure-devops), each have their strengths, weaknesses and trade-offs. But, **why would you choose a centralized version control tool that is provided by a vendor that evidently no longer supports it?**

---

PS: Most people visualize Centralized Version Control like this:
[![Centralized VC, from: https://scmquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/central_vcs.jpg](https://i.sstatic.net/CxGAc.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/CxGAc.png) (from: <https://scmquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/central_vcs.jpg>)

and Distributed Version Control like this:
[![Distributed VC, from: https://scmquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/distributed_vcs.jpg](https://i.sstatic.net/aLWga.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/aLWga.png) (from: <https://scmquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/distributed_vcs.jpg>)

But that is really just a "disconnected, centralized model". Git allows for very [complex distributed workflows](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Distributed-Git-Distributed-Workflows), such as show below. You do not get that flexibility using centralized tools. But it can also be a total nightmare to keep track of what's where.

[![Complex VC, from: https://howtodoinjava.com/vcs/how-distributed-version-control-system-works](https://i.sstatic.net/LBvS2.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/LBvS2.png)
(from: [https://howtodoinjava.com/vcs/how-distributed-version-control-system-works/](https://howtodoinjava.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Distributed-VCS.png))

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: I don't think you need an exhaustive list of every software version, even in a parenthetical statement.  
> **username_1**: @username_2, I don't think you need to edit a three year old question, including fundamentally changing the subject line, but maybe that's just me. "Team Foundation Version Control" is not "Git within Azure DevOps host".  
> **username_2**: Well, you're wrong then. The question title did not match the question body, which is what the answers addressed. Now, it does! And the issue with _your_ answer that my first comment raised is still unaddressed. See [editing](https://devops.stackexchange.com/help/privileges/edit) for more info on when and why editing of posts is important on Stack Exchange sites.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-10-26. Score: 0

First, Azure DevOps is the next release of Team Foundation Server 2018 (on premise) and Visual Studio Team System (on cloud).
Therefore, Azure DevOps has two flavors, Azure DevOps Service (on cloud) and Azure DevOps Server (on premise). The latest release of Azure DevOps Server is Azure DevOps Server 2020 that released in this October.

Second, you should not mix TFVC/Git with TFS. TFVC is a centralized source control, was released during the initial release of Team System 2005 (older name of Team Foundation Server). TFVC is also copyright and trade mark of Microsoft. There are other samples of centralized source control such as SVN, CVS, Rational Clear Case.

Git is a distributed source control. Git is open source and it's not owned by any company.

If you want to continue work using TFVC, you can still use TFVC within Azure DevOps Service or Azure DevOps Server. Both of these Azure DevOps products still support TFVC.

For more information, please visit this official docs:
<https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/user-guide/source-control?view=azure-devops>


---

