Using REST with VSTS and TFS
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This document contains an agenda for a presentation on using REST with Visual Studio Team Services (VSTS) and Team Foundation Server (TFS). The presentation will cover the history of APIs for VSTS/TFS, reasons for extending them, HTTP methods, debugging tools, authentication, using HttpClient vs HttpWebRequest, converting JSON to classes, and examples. It provides details on the available REST APIs, demonstrates creating a personal access token and calling an API to get a list of builds.
Using REST with VSTS and TFS
- 1. Tulsa TechFest 2016 Using REST w/VSTS & TFS Friday, August 5th Jeff Bramwell VP – Enterprise Architecture, Farm Credit Services of America MVP - Visual Studio & Development Technologies [email protected] ::: @jbramwell
- 2. Tulsa TechFest 2016 | Fri, Aug 5th, 2016 | OSU - Tulsa | 70+ Speakers, 20+ Tracks & 85+ Sessions!
- 3. Tulsa TechFest 2016 | Fri, Aug 5th, 2016 | OSU - Tulsa | 70+ Speakers, 20+ Tracks & 85+ Sessions!
- 4. Agenda • History of APIs • Why Extend? • HTTP Methods • REST Debugging Tools • Authentication with VSTS/TFS • HttpClient vs. HttpWebRequest • Convert JSON to Classes • Summary
- 5. History • TFS 2005, 2008 • ASMX • TFS 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 • WCF Services • TFS 2015/VSTS • REST APIs • TFS Object Model • All Versions
- 6. Add support for custom processes/workflows Audit users and related permissions Batch push/commit/pull for files Add ability to manage work item tags Why Extend? Add UI Elements Builds Security Version Control Examples The options are limitless!What Else?
- 7. Available REST APIs • Build 1.0 • Build 2.0 • Cloud Load Test • Code Policy • Dashboards and Widgets • Git • Packaging • Projects and Teams • Queues • Release • Service Hooks • Team Room • Test Management • Version Control • Work (Agile) • Work Item Tracking
- 8. HTTP Methods • Get • Retrieve one or more resources • POST • Create a new resource • PUT • Update a resource • PATCH • Also update a resource (and more) • DELETE • Delete a resource
- 9. HTTP Debugging Tools • Several Options: • Telerik Fiddler • Postman (for Chrome) • HttpRequester (for Firefox) • RESTClient (for Firefox) • REST Easy (for Firefox) • Many Others…
- 10. Authentication Three approaches: 1. Basic Authentication 2. OAuth 3. Personal Access Tokens (PAT)
- 11. DEMO Creating a Personal Access Token
- 12. DEMO Calling an API: Getting a list of Builds
- 13. Sprinkle in Some C# Multiple Approaches: • Hand-code everything, including POCOs • Make use of http://json2csharp.com/ to create initial POCOs • Do the same thing as above but with Visual Studio 2015 • Use a Fiddler extension such as Fiddler Request To Code
- 14. DEMO Let’s Generate Some Code!
- 15. HttpClient vs. HttpWebRequest • HttpClient is built on top of HttpWebRequest • HttpClient is generally easier to use and requires less code • A single HttpClient instance can service multiple calls • To multiple servers/hosts • Support for await command • Long story short… • HttpClient for most tasks • HttpWebRequest when you need more control
- 17. Using the POCOs • Essentially involves deserialization • Quickest method: Use Newtonsoft.JSON NuGet package • Will map JSON elements to class properties for you
- 18. DEMO Now, let’s tie in the entity classes
- 19. Summary • VSTS/TFS can be extended via REST APIs • Very powerful • Multiple ways to interact with and/or debug APIs • Can be extended from multiple languages including C#, PowerShell, JavaScript, etc. • Not all WCF/TFSOM methods exposed via REST yet, but getting closer
- 20. More Examples VSTS Tools • Command-line utilities • Custom build tasks (packaged as an extension) • Source available on GitHub: • https://github.com/jbramwell/VSTS-Tools • Can download from Visual Studio Marketplace: • https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=moons pace-labs-llc.vsts-tools-build-extensions Extending TFS and VSTS eBook • https://leanpub.com/tfsapibook
- 21. Questions? More Information? REST API Reference for VS Team Services and TFS • http://bit.ly/VSTSRESTAPI Brian Harry (Product Unit Manager for TFS) • https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/bharry/ My Blog • http://blog.devmatter.com Code/Extension Examples • https://github.com/jbramwell/VSTS-Tools
- 22. Tulsa TechFest 2016 | Fri, Aug 5th, 2016 | OSU - Tulsa | 70+ Speakers, 20+ Tracks & 85+ Sessions! Your input is important! http://TulsaTechFest.com
Editor's Notes
- #6: REST APIs do not yet have full parity with WCF services/TFS Object Model There is also a Java SDK as well as an unsupported OData API
- #7: Add custom version capabilities to assemblies/NuGet packages as part of build process Ensure projects have permissions configured based on desired guidance Make mass changes to code across multiple projects – e.g. configuration file updates Rename or delete tags
- #8: As of August, 2016
- #9: Talk about issues with using PUT when contracts have changed (e.g. adding a new field that calling clients are unaware of and the new field ends up being nulled out on updates)
- #10: Fiddler was acquired by Telerik back in 2012 Talk about issues with using PUT when contracts have changed (e.g. adding a new field that calling clients are unaware of and the new field ends up being nulled out on updates)
- #11: If using Basic Authentication, ensure SSL is enabled. https://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/docs/integrate/get-started/auth/overview PATs are simple to implement https://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/docs/integrate/get-started/auth/oauth OAuth provides a familiar user experience for most users – rather than requiring them to create and provide a PAT https://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/docs/integrate/get-started/auth/overview
- #14: HttpWebRequest came first – gives you full control over the web request but tends to require more code HttpClient is built on top of HttpWebRequest but requires much less code (and could also be a tad slower) Supports async calls Requires .NET 4.5 (or higher)
- #16: HttpWebRequest came first – gives you full control over the web request but tends to require more code HttpClient is built on top of HttpWebRequest but requires much less code (and could also be a tad slower) Supports async calls Requires .NET 4.5 (or higher)
- #21: HttpWebRequest came first – gives you full control over the web request but tends to require more code HttpClient is built on top of HttpWebRequest but requires much less code (and could also be a tad slower) Supports async calls Requires .NET 4.5 (or higher)