Microsoft's Migration from Source Depot to Git

The migration from Source Depot to Git at Microsoft involved a significant effort to enhance developer productivity.

Source Depot, based on Perforce technology, was the solution for Microsoft in the early 2000s, but it became outdated over time.

The Office Engineering team initiated a major multi-year project to transition to Git, which involved coordinating thousands of developers and significant infrastructural changes.

The process included building a parallel system, VFS for Git, to manage the large codebase and ensure smooth transition without affecting current operations.

Proving equivalence between Source Depot and Git was crucial, involving thorough testing and validation to ensure both systems worked the same.

Effective communication and training were essential, involving the designation of champions within teams to facilitate the transition.

The project emphasized the need for careful planning, robust communication, and the ability to rollback if needed, to ensure the success of such extensive technical migrations.