🏭🗒️Microsoft Fabric: Git [Notes]

Disclaimer: This is work in progress intended to consolidate information from various sources for learning purposes. For the latest information please consult the documentation (see the links below)! 

Last updated: 6-Oct-2025

[Microsoft Fabric] Git

• {def} an open source, distributed version control platform
• enables developers commit their work to a local repository and then sync their copy of the repository with the copy on the server [1]
• to be differentiated from centralized version control 
• where clients must synchronize code with a server before creating new versions of code [1
• provides tools for isolating changes and later merging them back together
• {benefit} simultaneous development
• everyone has their own local copy of code and works simultaneously on their own branches
•  Git works offline since almost every operation is local
• {benefit} faster release
• branches allow for flexible and simultaneous development
• {benefit} built-in integration
• integrates into most tools and products
•  every major IDE has built-in Git support
• this integration simplifies the day-to-day workflow
• {benefit} strong community support
• the volume of community support makes it easy to get help when needed
• {benefit} works with any team
• using Git with a source code management tool increases a team's productivity 
• by encouraging collaboration, enforcing policies, automating processes, and improving visibility and traceability of work
• the team can either
• settle on individual tools for version control, work item tracking, and continuous integration and deployment
• choose a solution that supports all of these tasks in one place
• e.g. GitHub, Azure DevOps
• {benefit} pull requests
• used to discuss code changes with the team before merging them into the main branch
• allows to ensure code quality and increase knowledge across team
• platforms like GitHub and Azure DevOps offer a rich pull request experience
• {benefit} branch policies
• protect important branches by preventing direct pushes, requiring reviewers, and ensuring clean build
•  used to ensure that pull requests meet requirements before completion
•  teams can configure their solution to enforce consistent workflows and process across the team
• {feature} continuous integration
• {feature} continuous deployment
• {feature} automated testing
• {feature} work item tracking
• {feature} metrics
• {feature} reporting 
• {operation} commit
• snapshot of all files at a point in time [1]
•  every time work is saved, Git creates a commit [1]
•  identified by a unique cryptographic hash of the committed content [1]
•  everything is hashed
•  it's impossible to make changes, lose information, or corrupt files without Git detecting it [1]
•  create links to other commits, forming a graph of the development history [2A]
• {operation} revert code to a previous commit [1]
• {operation} inspect how files changed from one commit to the next [1]
• {operation} review information e.g. where and when changes were made [1]
• {operation} branch
•  lightweight pointers to work in progress
•  each developer saves changes to their own local code repository
• there can be many different changes based on the same commit
•  branches manage this separation
• once work created in a branch is finished, it can be merged back into the team's main (or trunk) branch
• main branch
• contains stable, high-quality code from which programmers release
• feature branches 
• contain work in progress, which are merged into the main branch upon completion
•  allows to isolate development work and minimize conflicts among multiple developers [2]
•  release branch
•  by separating the release branch from development in progress, it's easier to manage stable code and ship updates more quickly
• if a file hasn't changed from one commit to the next, Git uses the previously stored file [1]
• files are in one of three states
• {state}modified
• when a file is first modified, the changes exist only in the working directory
•  they aren't yet part of a commit or the development history
•  the developer must stage the changed files to be included in the commit
•  the staging area contains all changes to include in the next commit
•  {state}committed
•  once the developer is happy with the staged files, the files are packaged as a commit with a message describing what changed
•  this commit becomes part of the development history
•  {state}staged
•  staging lets developers pick which file changes to save in a commit to break down large changes into a series of smaller commits
•   by reducing the scope of commits, it's easier to review the commit history to 
• {best practice} set up a shared Git repository and CI/CD pipelines [2]
• enables effective collaboration and deployment in PBIP [2]
• enables implementing version control in PBIP [2]
• it’s essential for managing project history and collaboration [2]
• allows to track changes throughout the model lifecycle [2]
• allows to enable effective governance and collaboratin
•  provides robust version tracking and collaboration features, ensuring traceability
• {best practice} use descriptive commit messages [2]
• allows to ensure clarity and facilitate collaboration in version control [2]
• {best practice} avoid sharing Git credentials [2]
• compromises security and accountability [2]
•  can lead to potential breaches [2]
• {best practice} define a naming conventions for files and communicated accordingly [2]
• {best practice} avoid merging changes directly into the master branch [2]
• {risk} this can lead to integration issues [2]
• {best practice} use git merge for integrating changes from one branch to another [2]
• {benefit} ensures seamless collaboration [2]
• {best practice} avoid skipping merges [2]
• failing to merge regularly can lead to complex conflicts and integration challenges [2]

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References:

[1] Microsoft Learn (2022) DeveOps: What is Git? [link]
[2] M Anand, Microsoft Fabric Analytics Engineer Associate: Implementing Analytics Solutions Using Microsoft Fabric (DP-600), 2025 

Acronyms:

PBIP - Power BI Project
CI/CD - Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment
IDE - Integrated Development Environments

 

🏭🗒️Microsoft Fabric: Git Repository [Notes]

Disclaimer: This is work in progress intended to consolidate information from various sources for learning purposes. For the latest information please consult the documentation (see the links below)! 

Last updated: 4-Jul-2025

[Microsoft Fabric] Git Repository

• {def} set of features that enable developers to integrate their development processes, tools, and best practices straight into the Fabric platform [2]
• 
  
• {goal} the repo serves as single-source-of-truth
• {feature} backup and version control [2]
• {feature} revert to previous stages [2]
• {feature} collaborate with others or work alone using Git branches [2]
• {feature} source control 
• provides tools to manage Fabric items [2]
• supported for Azure DevOps and GitHub [3]
• {configuration} tenant switches 
• ⇐ must be enabled from the Admin portal 
• by the tenant admin, capacity admin, or workspace admin
• dependent on organization's settings [3]
• users can create Fabric items
• users can synchronize workspace items with their Git repositories
• create workspaces
• only if is needed to branch out to a new workspace [3]
• users can synchronize workspace items with GitHub repositories
• for GitHub users only [3]
• {concept} release process 
• begins once new updates complete a Pull Request process and merge into the team’s shared branch [3]
• {concept} branch
• {operation} switch branches
• the workspace syncs with the new branch and all items in the workspace are overridden [3]
• if there are different versions of the same item in each branch, the item is replaced [3]
• if an item is in the old branch, but not the new one, it gets deleted [3]
• one can't switch branches if there are any uncommitted changes in the workspace [3]
• {action} branch out to another workspace 
• creates a new workspace, or switches to an existing workspace based on the last commit to the current workspace, and then connects to the target workspace and branch [4]
• {permission} contributor and above
• {action} checkout new branch )
• creates a new branch based on the last synced commit in the workspace [4]
• changes the Git connection in the current workspace [4]
• doesn't change the workspace content [4]
• {permission} workspace admin
• {action} switch branch
• syncs the workspace with another new or existing branch and overrides all items in the workspace with the content of the selected branch [4]
• {permission} workspace admin
• {limitation} maximum length of branch name: 244 characters.
• {limitation} maximum length of full path for file names: 250 characters
• {limitation} maximum file size: 25 MB
• {operation} connect a workspace to a Git Repos 
• can be done only by a workspace admin [4]
• once connected, anyone with permissions can work in the workspace [4]
• synchronizes the content between the two (aka initial sync)
• {scenario} either of the two is empty while the other has content
• the content is copied from the nonempty location to the empty on [4]
• {scenario}both have content
• one must decide which direction the sync should go [4]
• overwrite the content from the destination [4]
• includes folder structures [4]
• workspace items in folders are exported to folders with the same name in the Git repo [4]
• items in Git folders are imported to folders with the same name in the workspace [4]
• if the workspace has folders and the connected Git folder doesn't yet have subfolders, they're considered to be different [4]
• leads to uncommitted changes status in the source control panel [4]
• one must to commit the changes to Git before updating the workspace [4]
• update first, the Git folder structure overwrites the workspace folder structure [4]
• {limitation} empty folders aren't copied to Git
• when creating or moving items to a folder, the folder is created in Git [4]
• {limitation} empty folders in Git are deleted automatically [4]
• {limitation} empty folders in the workspace aren't deleted automatically even if all items are moved to different folders [4]
• {limitation} folder structure is retained up to 10 levels deep [4]
• {limitation} the folder structure is maintained up to 10 levels deep
•  Git status
• synced 
• the item is the same in the workspace and Git branch [4]
•  conflict 
• the item was changed in both the workspace and Git branch [4]
•  unsupported item
•  uncommitted changes in the workspace
•  update required from Git [4]
•  item is identical in both places but needs to be updated to the last commit [4]
• source control panel
• shows the number of items that are different in the workspace and Git branch
• when changes are made, the number is updated
• when the workspace is synced with the Git branch, the Source control icon displays a 0
• commit and update panel 
• {section} changes 
• shows the number of items that were changed in the workspace and need to be committed to Git [4]
• changed workspace items are listed in the Changes section
• when there's more than one changed item, one can select which items to commit to the Git branch [4]
• if there were updates made to the Git branch, commits are disabled until you update your workspace [4]
• {section} updates 
• shows the number of items that were modified in the Git branch and need to be updated to the workspace [4]
• the Update command always updates the entire branch and syncs to the most recent commit [4]
• {limitation} one can’t select specific items to update [4]
• if changes were made in the workspace and in the Git branch on the same item, updates are disabled until the conflict is resolved [4]
• in each section, the changed items are listed with an icon indicating the status
•  new
•  modified
•  deleted
•  conflict
•  same-changes
• {concept} related workspace
• workspace with the same connection properties as the current branch [4]
• e.g.  the same organization, project, repository, and git folder [4] 

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References:

[2] Microsoft Learn (2025) Fabric: What is Microsoft Fabric Git integration? [link] 

What is lifecycle management in Microsoft Fabric? [link]

[3] Microsoft Fabric Updates Blog (2025) Fabric: Introducing New Branching Capabilities in Fabric Git Integration [link] 

[4] Microsoft Learn (2025) Fabric: Basic concepts in Git integration [link]
[5]  [link]

Resources:
[R1] Microsoft Learn (2025) Fabric: 

Acronyms:

CI/CD - Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment