Git and Virtualmin

Introduction to Git

Git is a source-code control system that allows multiple developers to work on the same project. Each developer has a copy of the repository on his workstation, and can check in changes to that repository and synchronize it with a central server. Other developers can then fetch those changes by synchronizing their local repository with the central one.

This documentation assumes that you already have a basic understanding of Git and source code control systems. Rather than explaining how Git works, it focuses on setting up repositories using Virtualmin.

Enabling the Git Plugin

Before you can use Git with Virtualmin, you must first enable the plugin at System Settings -> Features and Plugins. Just check the box next to Git repositories , then click the Save button. If this plugin does not appear, you may need to first install it. On a Redhat, Fedora or CentOS system, this is easiest done with the following commands, run as root :

On CentOS or RHEL, the install command is :

yum install wbm-virtualmin-git

on Debian or Ubuntu, the command is :

apt-get install webmin-virtualmin-git

If activating the plugin fails due to Git not being installed on your Virtualmin system, you will need to install it first. On Redhat, Fedora or CentOS the commands for this are :

rpm -Uvh http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/epel/5/i386/epel-release-5-4.noarch.rpm
yum install git gitweb
sed -e 's/^/#/' -i /etc/httpd/conf.d/git.conf
apachectl graceful

while on Debian or Ubuntu, the command is :

apt-get install git gitweb

If neither of those work, you can install the plugin from a Webmin module package as follows :

  1. Go to Webmin -> Webmin Configuration -> Webmin Modules.
  2. In the From ftp or http URL field, enter the URL http://download.webmin.com/download/plugins/virtualmin-git.wbm.gz
  3. Click the Install Module button.

Once the plugin is installed, you can enable it in Virtualmin as follows :

  1. Go to System Settings -> Features and Plugins.
  2. Check the box in the left hand column next to Git repositories
  3. Click Save.

Enabling Git For A Domain

Once the plugin is installed, you can allow a virtual server to create Git repositories as follows :

  1. Select the domain from the left menu, and click Edit Virtual Server
  2. In the Enabled features section check the box next to Allow Git repositories?
  3. Click Save Virtual Server

This will perform the setup needed for repositories to be accessed under the /git URL path on this domain, but will not yet create any Git repositories.

Creating A Git Repository

Once a domain has Git enabled, you can add a repository to it like so :

  1. Select the domain from the left menu, then open the Services category and click Git Repositories
  2. In the Create Git Repository form, enter a name like myproject into the Repository name field.
  3. Enter something like My cool program into the Repository description field.
  4. Select at least one existing user in the domain to have access to the new repository in the Grant access to users field.
  5. Click the Create button.

Once this is done your new repository will appear in the list on the Git Repositories page. It can then be accessed using the Git client with a URL like http://yourdomain.com/git/myproject.git . For more information on exactly which commands to use, click the Repository Commands button.

Granting Access To A Repository

All Git repositories created using Virtualmin allow write access only to authenticated users. Accounts can be created in the same way that you would create mailbox or FTP users, and existing users can be granted access to Git repositories.

When creating or editing a user, the Other user permissions section of the Edit Mailbox page will have a field named Git login enabled?. Just select Yes, and in the Read/write access to repositories field select one or more repos to grant full access to. As soon as the user is saved or created his login and password will be able to checkin to and checkout from the selected repositories.

When logging in you only need to use the user's short username, which is the part to the left of the @ in his email address. For example, if the address was bob@webmin.com he would be able to login to Git as just bob , even though his IMAP and FTP is bob-webmin.

Managing Repositories

Once a repository has been created you can manage it using buttons on the Git Repositories page. These are :

  • Delete
    Removes the repository, including all files within it and all user permissions.
  • Browse Repository
    Allows the contents and checkins to be navigated using a browser. This page is password-protected, but you can login using any access that has been granted Git access.
  • Repository Commands
    Shows example commands for pulling from and pushing to the repository.