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Bonobo Git Server

Self-hosted Git server for Windows IIS environments

Web-based Git repository manager designed for Windows Server and IIS, offering user authentication, team management, and repository access control through a familiar web interface.

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Overview

Git hosting built for Windows infrastructure

Bonobo Git Server is a self-hosted Git repository management solution tailored for organizations running Windows Server and Internet Information Services (IIS). Written in C# and deployed as an ASP.NET application, it integrates naturally into existing Windows environments without requiring Linux-based tooling or containers.

The platform provides a web interface for creating and managing Git repositories, controlling user and team permissions, and configuring anonymous access policies. Administrators can manage global settings including repository storage locations, while users can clone, push, and pull using standard Git clients. Active Directory integration enables centralized authentication, and git hooks receive environment variables for username, team membership, and roles to support custom workflows.

Designed for Windows administrators

Bonobo Git Server targets IT teams maintaining Windows Server infrastructure who need Git hosting without introducing new operating systems or deployment models. Installation involves extracting files to the IIS wwwroot, setting folder permissions for the IIS user account, and converting the directory to an IIS application. All repository data and configuration reside in the App_Data folder, simplifying backup and migration. The MIT license permits modification and internal deployment without licensing concerns.

Highlights

Native IIS integration with ASP.NET for seamless Windows Server deployment
Active Directory authentication and team-based repository access control
Web-based repository management with support for anonymous clone and push
Git hook environment variables exposing username, teams, roles, and display name

Pros

  • Straightforward installation on existing IIS infrastructure without additional platforms
  • Active Directory integration reduces duplicate user management overhead
  • MIT license allows unrestricted internal use and customization
  • Simple backup strategy via App_Data folder copy

Considerations

  • Requires Windows Server and IIS, limiting deployment flexibility
  • Anonymous authentication disables user identification in git hooks
  • Manual update process requires careful file replacement and changelog review
  • Depends on .NET Framework 4.6, which may require legacy runtime maintenance

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Looking for a hosted option? These are the services engineering teams benchmark against before choosing open source.

Fit guide

Great for

  • Windows-centric IT environments standardized on IIS and Active Directory
  • Teams needing self-hosted Git without Linux server administration
  • Organizations with compliance requirements for on-premises repository hosting
  • Shops seeking Git hosting that integrates with existing Windows authentication

Not ideal when

  • Cloud-native teams preferring containerized or SaaS Git solutions
  • Cross-platform environments requiring Linux or macOS server deployment
  • Organizations seeking advanced CI/CD pipelines and code review workflows
  • Teams wanting modern UI/UX comparable to GitHub or GitLab

How teams use it

Enterprise Windows Git hosting

Centralized Git repository management leveraging existing Active Directory credentials and IIS infrastructure without introducing new platforms.

Departmental source control

Self-service repository creation and team-based access control for development groups within larger Windows-based organizations.

Compliance-driven on-premises hosting

Full data sovereignty for source code with repositories stored on internal Windows servers under organizational control.

Git hook-based workflow enforcement

Custom pre-receive or post-receive hooks using authenticated user and team metadata to enforce branch policies or trigger notifications.

Tech snapshot

C#50%
Tcl25%
CSS17%
HTML6%
Perl1%
Shell1%

Tags

active-directorygit-serverc-sharpbonoboiiswindowsgit

Frequently asked questions

What Windows and IIS versions are supported?

Bonobo Git Server requires IIS 7 or higher and .NET Framework 4.6. It runs on Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7, Windows 8 and later, plus Windows Server 2008 R2, 2008 SP2, 2012, and newer versions.

How do I back up my repositories and settings?

Copy the App_Data folder from the installation directory (default C:\inetpub\wwwroot\Bonobo.Git.Server) to your backup location. If you changed the repository directory in global settings, back up that folder separately.

Can I enable anonymous repository access?

Yes. Edit a repository and check the Anonymous checkbox to allow anonymous cloning. To permit anonymous push, log in as administrator, go to Global Settings, and enable 'Allow push for anonymous repositories.'

Does Bonobo integrate with Active Directory?

Yes. Bonobo Git Server supports Active Directory authentication, allowing users to log in with their existing Windows credentials and reducing duplicate account management.

Why are git hook environment variables empty?

If anonymous operations (push/pull) are enabled, HTTP basic authentication cannot reliably identify users, so AUTH_USER, REMOTE_USER, AUTH_USER_TEAMS, AUTH_USER_ROLES, and AUTH_USER_DISPLAYNAME will be empty for all operations.

Project at a glance

Dormant
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Watchers
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LicenseMIT
Repo age14 years old
Last commit2 years ago
Self-hostingSupported
Primary languageC#

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