• Version Control
  • Transparency as a Starting Point
  • UH Version Control Systems
    • Maintenance and Support
    • Getting Started Briefly
    • Resources
    • Administration
  • For Special Cases: More Restricted GitLab
    • Important to note
    • Problem Cases
      • SSH Key and Connections

Version Control

Version control is a recommended way to maintain software code or scripts and their various versions.

Version control facilitates collaboration between different parties and allows for simultaneous handling of development, testing, and production code in different situations.

Generally about version control and why it should be used: https://www.atlassian.com/git/tutorials/what-is-version-control.

Transparency as a Starting Point

The University of Helsinki has made the decision to publish code openly. At the latest, the code for the finished software should be openly published on GitHub. There is no need to publish work versions, maintenance scripts, etc.

Read: Principles of Open Source

Also familiarize yourself with the application guidelines: Open Source - Application Guidelines

UH Version Control Systems

University of Helsinki uses Git, GitHub and Gitlab.

Maintenance and Support

• Admins for the UniversityofHelsinki organization can be reached at: versionhallinta@helsinki.fi
• Admins for the UH-StudentServices organization include, among others, Antero Aunesluoma

Getting Started Briefly

• Install the GIT tool
• Generate an SSH key for yourself
• Link your SSH key’s public part (‘key_name.pub’) to your GitLab account in settings. Instructions.
  • To simplify authentication in the future, consider using an SSH agent.
• New Project:
  • Create a new empty project in GitLab
  • Create a local GIT project
  • Link them together using GIT
• You can also clone an existing project from GitLab to your machine, which automatically connects the local version to version.helsinki.fi.
  • HTTPS: git clone https://version.helsinki.fi/projectName/repo.git
  • SSH: git clone git@version.helsinki.fi:projectName/repo.git

Detailed instructions for using git with GitLab.

Resources

• GitLab documentation
• CI/CD pipeline (continuous integration / continuous deployment)

Administration

TIKE’s Network Services, atk-verkkopalvelut@helsinki.fi

For Special Cases: More Restricted GitLab

https://scm.it.helsinki.fi

Important to note

• This GitLab instance is not accessible from external networks and is not under SSO authentication; it requires a separate, local user account.
• It is used for a few projects/services with elevated security levels.

Inquiries: Tapio Piironen

Problem Cases

Common troubleshooting issues and their solutions.

This section is still under construction. New problem cases can be freely added.

SSH Key and Connections

On a Windows machine, the command

PS C:\Users\me\Desktop> ssh-add ~/.ssh/my-rsa-key.key

gives the error

Error connecting to agent: No such file or directory

In this case, make sure that the SSH Agent service is enabled and running.