Set up Team Foundation Version Control on your dev machine

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Visual Studio 2019 | Visual Studio 2017 | Visual Studio 2015 | Visual Studio 2013

To set up Team Foundation Version Control (TFVC) on your dev machine, you just need to create a workspace and then add your code.

Before you start

Create a workspace and get the code

From Visual Studio, go to the Team Explorer Connect page (Keyboard: Ctrl + 0, C) and then connect to the project.

Create a workspace and get the code

(If the project you want to open is not listed, choose Select Projects and then connect to the project.)

Map the project to a folder on your dev machine.

Map the project to a folder on your dev machine

Map the workspace and get your code.

Map the workspace and get your code

Work in a "Main" parent folder

Do you want to prepare for when your team grows large enough to need branches to manage your work? Put all your code in a parent called Main (for example: $/MyTeamProject/Main/).

  1. Go to the Team Explorer Home page (Keyboard: Ctrl + 0, H), and then open Source Control Explorer.

  2. In Source Control Explorer, select your project in the left pane.

  3. On the menu bar choose File, Source Control, New Folder.

    Source control explorer

    Name the folder.

    Open the context menu of the Main folder and choose Check in.

  4. Check in the new folder.

    Check in the new folder

    Your changeset is checked in.

    Your changeset is checked in

When your team decides to branch the codebase, you can convert the Main folder to a branch. See Branch folders and files.

Add your code to version control

Create a new solution under version control

If you've got an idea for a new app, you can use version control from the start. Create a new code project (Keyboard: Ctrl + Shift + N), and add it to TFVC version control:

Create a new solution under version control

Tip

We suggest that you put your new project in c:\Users\YourName\Source\Workspaces\.

When the Choose Source Control dialog box appears, choose Team Foundation Version Control.

When you are ready, check in your changes (Keyboard: Ctrl + 0, P).

Put an existing solution under version control

You've already got an app in progress and you want to begin working on it under TFVC version control.

  1. Move your solution into your workspace folder (for example: c:\Users\YourName\Source\Workspaces\YourTeamProject\Main\).

  2. If you have not already done so, open your solution, (Keyboard: Ctrl + Shift + O) and then open Solution Explorer (Keyboard: Ctrl + Alt + L).

  3. Add your solution to source control.

    Add your solution to source control

  4. On the Choose Source Control dialog box, choose Team Foundation Version Control.

  5. When you are ready, check in your changes (Keyboard: Ctrl + 0,P).

Q & A