Prerequisites

Prerequisites for Windows

To successfully run Gibbon Git Server on Windows, you need to meet the following requirements:

1. Operating System

  • Windows Server (recommended): Windows Server 2016 or higher.
  • Windows 10/11: If using a development or small-scale setup, a modern desktop version of Windows is also sufficient.

2. .NET Core Runtime

Gibbon Git Server is built using ASP.NET Core, so you need the appropriate runtime installed.

  • Download and install the latest ASP.NET Core Runtime (version 8 or higher) from the official .NET download page.
  • Ensure the runtime is available in your system’s environment variables. You can check this by opening a terminal and running: 
    dotnet --version

You should see something like 8.x.x if the runtime is properly installed.

3a. IIS (Internet Information Services)

If you want to host Gibbon Git Server on IIS (Internet Information Services), follow these steps:

  • Open Server Manager on your Windows Server machine.
  • Go to Manage > Add Roles and Features.

  • Select Web Server (IIS) and proceed with the installation, making sure the following features are enabled:

    • Web Server > Common HTTP Features (Static Content, Default Document, etc.)
    • Application Development > .NET Core Hosting Bundle and ASP.NET 4.x (needed for IIS integration with ASP.NET Core)
    • Management Tools > IIS Management Console

    After installing IIS, download and install the .NET Core Hosting Bundle from Microsoft.

3b. Kestrel (Optional)

For lightweight or cross-platform hosting, Gibbon Git Server can also be hosted with Kestrel, a web server that runs natively in .NET Core. Kestrel comes built-in with ASP.NET Core, so no extra installation is required if you’re using it instead of IIS.

  • By default, Gibbon Git Server will use Kestrel if no IIS is configured.
  • Kestrel is optimal for scenarios where you don’t need a full IIS setup or for testing/development purposes.

5. Git Command-Line Tools

Ensure the Git command-line tools are installed on the machine for proper Git operations (clone, push, pull, etc.).

  • Download the latest version of Git for Windows from git-scm.com.
  • After installation, verify Git is installed by running the following command in the terminal:
git --version
  • You should see something like git version 2.x.x.

6. Database

Gibbon Git Server requires a database for storing configuration and user data. On Windows, the default configuration uses SQLite, but you can switch to another supported database if needed. If you’re using the default SQLite:

  • No additional setup is required for SQLite as it is embedded.

If you want to use SQL Server (although it’s not officially supported anymore), you would need an active SQL Server instance and adjust the connection strings in appsettings.json accordingly.

Once all prerequisites are installed, you can proceed with the installation steps to set up and run Gibbon Git Server on your Windows machine.