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 ASP.NET Core Runtime 10 from the official .NET download page. For IIS, install the Hosting Bundle, which contains the runtime.
  • You can check the installed runtimes by opening a terminal and running: 
    dotnet --list-runtimes

You should see Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 10.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.)
    • Management Tools > IIS Management Console

    After installing IIS, download and install the ASP.NET Core 10 Hosting Bundle from the official .NET download page. It adds the IIS module for ASP.NET Core; ASP.NET 4.x is not needed.

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.

4. 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.
  • Gibbon Git Server uses git from the PATH. To use another installation, set Git:Executable in appsettings.json.

5. Database

Gibbon Git Server requires a database for storing configuration and user data. Use SQLite for a simple setup (set Database:Provider to Sqlite; the shipped configuration still uses an in-memory database). If you’re using SQLite:

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

If you want to use SQL Server, you need an active SQL Server instance; set Database:Provider to SqlServer and adjust the connection string 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.