What is Bitbucket? How Does It Work?

Do you need a hosting service that can be used both individually and with your team, has a customizable structure, and also offers Cloud support? Bitbucket is ready to meet your needs with its Git-based code service filled with features that will professionally manage your software development flow.

Bitbucket is a Git-based web storage service that offers various features to help software developers manage their work. This service facilitates collaboration on code projects and also offers various security features including two-factor authentication and code review. Considering its capacity to present a complete history of changes, it helps you access previous versions with peace of mind. Come and check out the details now to learn everything you need to know before creating your Bitbucket account.

What is Bitbucket?

Bitbucket is a web-based version control repository hosting service designed for professional teams, supporting Git and Mercurial version control systems (VCS). It provides a central place for managing Git repositories, collaborating on source code, and guiding users through the development flow. The standout features of Bitbucket can be listed as follows:

• Access control to restrict access to the source code.
• Flow control to implement a project's or team's workflow.
• Pull requests with inline commenting for collaboration in code review.
• Jira integration for complete development traceability.
• Full Rest API to create custom features for the workflow if not available in the Marketplace.

To get started with Bitbucket, you need to have knowledge of version control and GIT. Version control allows managing changes to files over time and is one of the key software configuration methods. For instance, the Atom code editor is one of the large open-source projects. When wanting to make some changes in a specific part of the Atom codebase, merging them directly with the official source code may not be a good practice.

Version control enables developers to work securely and more efficiently through Branching and Merging. With Branching, a section of the source code (repository) can be copied, duplicated, and changes can be safely made in this section of the code without affecting the rest of the project. After making changes in the code, it is possible to merge back to the main source code to formalize them. All changes are traceable and can be reverted if necessary.

GIT is an open-source version control system created by Linus Torvalds in 2005. Git is also known as a distributed version control system, meaning the entire codebase and history are available on every developer's computer. This allows for branching and merging to be done.

How Does Bitbucket Work?

Bitbucket features a fast code review system that facilitates pull request reviews. This system operates at the commit level, enabling developers and all reviewers to quickly evaluate the updated code. Additionally, multiple developers can be seamlessly added to contribute to the review process.

Bitbucket has a powerful integration with JIRA, a premier tool for tracking code-related issues and bugs. This integration allows for effortless tracking of issue status and bug reports without leaving the Bitbucket environment.

The inline discussion feature of Bitbucket enhances collaboration between developers and reviewers. It allows for inline comments and conversations within code snippets, making feedback and interaction more effective. For example, if a reviewer suggests changes in font styles, the feedback becomes visible near the relevant code segment.

Catering to teams of various sizes and needs, Bitbucket offers a Cloud feature for small teams of 1-5 members. Larger teams can benefit from the Server feature.

One of the strong points of using Bitbucket is its built-in issue tracker, which provides a flexible and easy system. It allows for customization of fields such as version and milestone to fit the project's requirements. The built-in tracker is highly valuable for tracking the status of bugs, new feature requests, and tasks assigned by customers or developers.

With Bitbucket, you can customize repositories, pull requests, branch operations, user names, and other tool features as you wish. Thanks to its user-friendly interface, you can enjoy navigating through Bitbucket.

Who Can Use Bitbucket?

Bitbucket is packed with features to help you manage your software development workflow like a boss. It is popular among individuals and teams of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises, as well as for open source and commercial projects. Here are some examples of who can use Bitbucket:

• Software development teams: Bitbucket is a popular choice for software development teams of all sizes. It offers various features to help teams collaborate on code, manage their workflows, and ensure the quality of their code.
• Individual developers: Bitbucket is also a popular choice for individual developers, featuring a free tier with unlimited private repositories. This makes Bitbucket an excellent option for hobbies and freelancers.
• Students: Bitbucket is used by students to manage their code for school projects. It is a great way to learn about Git and version control and collaborate on projects with other students.

Among the notable companies and organizations that use Bitbucket are Netflix, Spotify, Samsung, NASA, Linux, Apache Software. Proven on a global scale, Bitbucket continues to exist as a versatile and powerful code hosting service used by these well-established entities.

Creating a Bitbucket Account

Creating a Bitbucket account is quite straightforward and can be completed quickly by following several steps. The steps you need to complete are as follows:

• Visit bitbucket.org, sign up by entering your email address, name, and password. Click on the link received in your mail to verify your email address.
• After completing the verification, create a unique username for Bitbucket Cloud.
• Create your first repository and try importing a repository. You can add any template by clicking on the checkbox. Afterwards, you can manage notifications, download, and share the repository.

What Are the Benefits of Using Bitbucket?

Launched in 2008 by the software company Atlassian, Bitbucket is a hosting platform that provides both public and private repositories for developers. While its functionality in terms of basic commands resembles storage services like Github, it offers unique features such as built-in flexibility in VCS support. So, what makes Bitbucket so special?

Query Management System

Bitbucket facilitates workflow processes by offering a comprehensive query management system. This integrated system allows teams to efficiently handle and organize queries and issues related to their projects. By simplifying communication, it ensures that problems and concerns are addressed quickly and effectively, contributing to smoother project development.

Authentication via Github

Bitbucket’s support for authentication through Github is a significant advantage. This feature enables users to seamlessly link their Bitbucket accounts with Github, making it easier for developers to leverage their Github credentials within the Bitbucket environment. This integration simplifies the login process and promotes a unified development experience.

Integrated JIRA Tool

Known for its strong integration with JIRA, Bitbucket’s bug tracking tool, this feature automates the process of identifying and tracking bugs in the codebase. When a new commit is made, Bitbucket automatically detects related issues in JIRA and updates the information accordingly. This ensures that bug tracking and resolution are tightly integrated into the development flow, increasing efficiency and accountability.

Importing Repositories

Bitbucket offers the flexibility to import repositories from third-party services. This feature simplifies the transition process, allowing teams to bring their existing codebases and version control histories to Bitbucket. It ensures that past work remains accessible and can be seamlessly integrated into ongoing development projects.

Pricing

Bitbucket’s pricing structure provides a significant advantage. It is completely free for small teams of up to 5 members and offers an unlimited number of private repositories. This cost-effective option can be considered an advantage for startups, small businesses, and educational institutions. Students and educators can also benefit from Bitbucket’s advantages without incurring costs, making it a valuable resource for academic purposes.

Bitbucket offers a range of advantages from efficient query management and seamless authentication through Github to the integration of the JIRA tool. It also supports importing repositories from third-party services and provides cost-effective solutions for small teams. All these features enhance collaborations, smooth out workflows, and encourage the development of efficient practices.

Examples of Using Bitbucket

Whether you're working on a single file or multiple files, you can access all files in your local repository. If you have the URL of the repository, you can view public repositories without a Bitbucket account. Each repository belongs to either a user account or a team. In the case of a user account, that user is the owner of the repository. For a team, the team owns the repository. The repository owner is the only person who can delete the repository. If the repository belongs to a team, an administrator can delete it. A code project can consist of multiple repositories across multiple accounts or just a single repository in one account. Each repository has a 2 GB size limit, but it is recommended not to exceed 1 GB.

Creating a Repository

Initially, a repository created in Bitbucket will be empty until files are added, serving as a central repository for files, meaning others can access this repository if permitted. After creating a repository, the version can be copied to the local system, thus updating the repository, and then changes can be transmitted to others. To create a repository, follow these steps:

1. Click the "+" icon on the general sidebar of Bitbucket and select the "Repository" icon, displaying Bitbucket's new repository creation page. You may want to glance over the content of the dialog box. Except for the repository type, everything entered on this page can be changed later.

2. Enter "BitbucketStationLocations" in the "Name" field to have Bitbucket use this name in the repository's URL. For example, if the_best user has a repository named awesome_repo, the repository's URL would be https://bitbucket.org/the_best/awesome_repo.

3. Check the "This is a private repository" box for access level, meaning only the user and those granted permission can see a private repository. Unchecking this box allows everyone to access the repository.

4. Select Git for "Repository type". Clicking "Create repository" signifies that the repository can no longer be changed.

5. Click on the "Create repository" icon. Bitbucket creates the repository and checks the general view from the "Overview page".

In subsequent stages, you can clone the repository to the local system, add a file to the local repository, and pull changes to the Git repository in Bitbucket Cloud.

Bitbucket has everything you need to manage code, collaborate with others, and produce high-quality software. It stands out among the services frequently used by millions of developers due to its ease of use and a variety of features that continue to evolve. If you want to learn all the details about Bitbucket and start using it, you can enroll in the most suitable Bootcamp training on Techcareer.net, start learning what you need to succeed, and get one step closer to professional coding.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Bitbucket Server and Bitbucket Data Center?

Bitbucket Server is a single instance of a server running on a single machine. It can only handle as much load as a single machine can carry before performance degrades, and if the machine fails for any reason, the server will be unavailable to users during the downtime. Bitbucket Data Center, on the other hand, appears like a single instance of the server. However, behind each load balancer, there is a cluster of multiple machines running the Bitbucket server web application (cluster nodes).

Does Bitbucket support Mercurial?

Currently, Bitbucket does not support Mercurial. According to Atlassian, based on demand, support for Mercurial may be reconsidered in the future.

Does Bitbucket work with Jira Software?

Bitbucket works with Jira 4.3+. However, to view commits in Jira Software, the latest version of the Jira/Fisheye plugin is required. You can refer to documentation shared by Atlassian regarding Jira software integration.

Does my Bitbucket license need to match the number of users in my external directory (LDAP, Active Directory, Crowd, Jira)?

No. You can control which users in your external directory can access Bitbucket to ensure you do not exceed the license limit. A user, by definition, is any account that has permission to log into the Bitbucket application. When you synchronize Bitbucket with an external user directory, you can grant access permission to a subset of users to stay under the license limit.

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