Azure Repos, also known as Azure DevOps Repos, is a version control system (VCS) offered as part of Microsoft Azure DevOps Services (formerly known as Visual Studio Team Services or VSTS). Azure Repos provides a Git-based or Team Foundation Version Control (TFVC) repository for managing and tracking changes in software projects. It is designed to support collaborative development efforts, code sharing, and version control for teams of developers. Here are key aspects and features of Azure Repos:

1. Version Control Systems:

   • Azure Repos offers two primary version control systems:
     • Git: Git is a distributed version control system that allows for decentralized development, branching, and merging. Azure Repos provides Git repositories with robust branching and merging capabilities.
     • Team Foundation Version Control (TFVC): TFVC is a centralized version control system that offers fine-grained access control and history tracking. It is suitable for scenarios where centralized control is required.

2. Branching and Merging:

   • Azure Repos supports branching and merging strategies, allowing teams to work on multiple features or bug fixes simultaneously while maintaining code isolation. Pull requests (for Git) and branches (for TFVC) facilitate code review and merging.

3. Code Review:

   • Developers can initiate and participate in code reviews using Azure Repos. Code changes can be reviewed, commented on, and approved before being merged into the main codebase.

4. Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Deployment (CD):

   • Azure Repos integrates seamlessly with Azure Pipelines, allowing teams to set up CI/CD pipelines for automating build, testing, and deployment processes. Code changes can be automatically built and tested upon commit.

5. Security and Access Control:

   • Azure Repos offers robust security features, including role-based access control (RBAC), branch policies, and permissions management to control who can access and modify code.

6. Integration with Azure Services:

   • Azure Repos can be integrated with other Azure services, such as Azure Boards for work item tracking, Azure Artifacts for package management, and Azure Test Plans for test management.

7. Pull Requests and Code Reviews:

   • Developers can create and review pull requests (Git) or shelvesets (TFVC) to collaborate on code changes, discuss modifications, and ensure code quality before merging.

8. Git Repository Management:

   • Git repositories in Azure Repos can be easily created, cloned, and managed. Teams can choose between Git’s centralized or distributed workflows based on their preferences.

9. Extensibility:

   • Azure Repos can be extended using extensions and plugins from the Azure DevOps Marketplace. These extensions provide additional functionality and integration options.

10. Version History and Audit Trails:

    • Azure Repos maintains a complete history of code changes, commits, and merges. Audit trails help in tracking who made changes and when they were made.

11. Branch Policies:

    • Teams can define branch policies to enforce quality gates, code review requirements, and build validation before code can be merged into specific branches.