What is VCSAdmin?
VCSAdmin is an administration software for the centralized and easy management of version control systems such as Subversion (SVN) and Git.
The software was specifically developed to simplify the administration of SVN and Git repositories, as well as users, groups, and permissions.
Using VCSAdmin is incredibly simple: no installation on your device is required. The software is already hosted on our servers and is ready to use.
All you need is a web browser. We have sent you a welcome email containing all the necessary login details, so you can sign in as an administrator and start managing your version control systems right away.
For the standard login, simply enter your username and password, then click the "Login" button. If the credentials are correct, you will be redirected to the dashboard.
The "Create Account" button allows users to register for a VCSAdmin account independently. This feature can be deactivated in the system configuration if not desired. Important: Newly created accounts will only become active after they have been approved by an administrator.
The System Settings allow you to make fundamental configurations for VCSAdmin. The settings are divided into three main areas: "General settings", "Sites information", and "Security settings".
Default language: Defines the language the application uses by default if the user has not selected one (e.g., on the login page).
Default timezone: Should be the timezone where the developer center is located.
Enable account creation: Activates the "Create Account" button on the login page.
Number of history entries to be displayed: Specifies how many of the most recent history entries should be displayed in a repository.
In this section, you can set the site title and the URL for the shortcut icon. Additionally, you can add your own CSS definitions via "Own Site CSS" to override or supplement the page styles. An integrated CSS validator checks the validity of your code before saving.
Here you can define the password length and password complexity. If you desire enhanced security, you can activate 2-factor authentication here. The IP whitelist allows you to restrict access to VCSAdmin and the repositories to specific IP addresses or ranges.
In this area, anyone with access to VCSAdmin can adjust their settings. In addition to the name, the user can specify their preferred language here. VCSAdmin will then display in the selected language after successful login.
If the user wants to change their password, they must first enter their current password, then enter the new password twice. The complexity and length of the password depend on the system settings.
As an administrator, the dashboard provides an overview of all existing Subversion and Git repositories. All existing groups are also displayed. As an administrator, you also have the option to create a new repository.
As a regular user, you see all the repositories and groups you are a member of.
The displayed cards are filled with information on one side. Hovering over them with your mouse reveals the reverse side.
The reverse side of the repositories provides information, for example, about the system's storage space.
For groups, the number of projects and group members is displayed on the reverse side of the card. Additionally, hovering over them with your mouse highlights the projects that use this group in red.
The area displays all users registered in VCSAdmin.
The Status column indicates whether the user is active in the system, meaning they can log in and access the repositories to which they are assigned (via groups). This is indicated by a green check mark.
If the user is locked, a red lock symbol indicates that the user cannot log in and has no other access.
The same applies to users with an hourglass symbol. These users have registered themselves via the login page and are awaiting approval from an administrator.
At the end of each row is an action menu. This allows you to edit the user's profile settings, lock or unlock the user, and even delete the user.
Clicking "Create new user" in the top right corner opens the form to create a new user. The login name, password, and email address are required fields. You can also specify whether the user should be an administrator and which groups they should be assigned to.
Just like when creating a user, the defaults in the form are displayed here and can be changed.
For a user to log in to VCSAdmin and use SVN/Git, they must be active. In addition to the active status, there are also blocked and "waiting for approval."
If you want to block a user, you can do so via the action menu in the user overview. The user can also be approved this way.
Users with the "waiting for approval" status (hourglass symbol) have registered independently on the login page. These users can be approved after verification by an administrator and can then use the system.
The page displays all groups. Additionally, the users and projects contained within them are displayed.
As an administrator, you can create a new repository in the dashboard.
To do so, click the "Create new repository" button in the top right corner.
For an SVN repository, you can configure the following settings:
1. Create a group with the same name for the project.
2. Add yourself to the newly created group.
3. Add yourself as an administrator to the project.
4. Create the standard SVN structure with the folders trunk, branches, and tags.
If you want to import a dump after creating an SVN repository, the repository must be empty. In this case, the standard SVN structure must not be created, as otherwise the import will not be possible. When importing, don't forget to enable the corresponding SVN hook.
When creating a Git repository, the process is similar, except for the standard structure, which Git doesn't have.
Unlike SVN, Git only supports a simple sharing level. Users assigned to the repository via a group have read and write permissions. More granular control down to the file level, as with SVN, is not possible.
You can access the details and settings via the dashboard and by clicking on a repository.
The repository page is divided into "Project overview," "Repo.browser and permissions," "History," and, on the far right, the action area for editing and deleting the repository.
If it is a Git repository, the "browser and permissions" and "History" sections are not available.
In the project overview you will find the repository name, the checkout or clone URL, as well as the storage space used by the repository at the top.
The project's admin users are also displayed here and can be added or removed.
An admin user in a repository can perform all possible actions in a repository, except for deleting and changing the project description.
Standard users see only the most important information.
The Hooks section (SVN only) displays available standard hooks. These can be added to the repo or disabled by simply selecting them.
The last few commits of the repository are displayed here.
The following hooks are currently implemented:
1. post-commit-hook
This hook is executed after every successful commit and can, for example, send an email to all users in the project to inform them of the change.
It is also possible to call a URL after the commit. This can, for example, send a message to an external script that a commit has occurred. The "revision," "project name," "commit message," and "changes" are passed as get parameters. The entire URL, including parameters, is limited to 4000 characters.
2. pre-revprop-change-hook
This hook is triggered immediately before a revision property is changed outside of a regular commit.
If the repository is empty, the dump import option can be enabled.
Furthermore, the hook allows a commit message to be changed retrospectively.
In the "Repo. browser and permissions" section, you can browse through the directories. Permissions can be assigned or revoked for each directory and even for each individual file.
Clicking on the lock symbol opens a window in which permissions can be assigned to each group assigned to the project.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security method that significantly improves access to systems, including VCSAdmin and repositories. It requires an additional, separate factor in addition to the username and password.
In addition to the usual password, another key is required for authentication. This key is a one-time code (OTP) generated by an authenticator app such as Google or Microsoft Authenticator. This code typically changes every 30 to 60 seconds and is entered by the user during login to confirm their identity.
When 2FA is enabled for access to SVN and Git repositories, a Personal Access Token (PAT) is used instead of the regular password. This token serves as an alternative to the password and is intended for machine access or scripts.
The token is created once and displayed in plain text. It is crucial to store it securely, as it cannot be viewed after the page is closed.
The PAT is valid for a limited time and must be renewed upon expiration.
Loss: If the token is lost, the user must generate a new one to regain access. A lost token cannot be recovered.
In summary, 2FA is an essential measure to increase account security and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.
The feature is enabled or disabled via System Settings. The setting there applies to all users.
If 2FA is activated and the logged-in user has not yet created and saved a secret with an authenticator app, they will receive a message in the menu asking them to do so now.
Users who log into the system from now on must enter their PIN from the Authenticator app or, if they have not yet created a secret, create one.
After the user successfully activates 2FA, they will be redirected to their profile page and will see their PAT.
Be sure to write down this PAT. It is required for SVN and Git access. Username and PAT then replace the password!
If the PAT has expired or is lost, the user can generate a new one at any time on their profile page.
The PAT validity period is also displayed there.
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