Running into problems importing my Azure DevOps repo

[rfalanga]

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I've been following the Importing a repository with GitHub Importer from my Azure DevOps Services account to my GitHub account. But it didn't work. I tried once, and the Importer said I should try it again, so I did. That failed with a

The following error occurred: An error occurred in the git source migration

error, which I didn't find helpful. Here are some details:

• I use the same email address on both Azure DevOps Services (ADS) and GitHub
  • I gave my credentials for ADS to the GitHub Importer
• The URL for my repo on ADS doesn't end in .git, so I left that off, which I assume is OK
• The repo on ADS has a default branch of master. My account on GitHub is configured with main as the name of all new GitHub repos. Again, I assume this won't matter, but maybe I'm wrong about that.

Given all I've provided here, what could be preventing the GitHub Importer to import the Git history and source code from ADS to a new repo here on GitHub?

[alexhozt]

Identified Problems and Solutions:

1. Azure DevOps Credentials Issue

• Even though you use the same email address, Azure DevOps requires specific Personal Access Tokens (PAT) for authentication.
• Solution: Generate a personal access token in Azure DevOps:
  1. Go to dev.azure.com/your-organization
  2. Click your profile → User settings → Personal access tokens
  3. Create a new token with read permissions for "Code"
  4. Use this token instead of your password when GitHub Importer asks for credentials

2. Incorrect Repository URL

• The Azure DevOps URL must have a specific format:
  • For public repositories: https://dev.azure.com/organization/project/_git/repository
  • For private repositories: You need to use the full URL that includes credentials
• Solution: Make sure you copy the exact URL from your repository page in ADS

3. .git Extension Problem

• Azure DevOps doesn't require .git at the end, but some importers need it
• Solution: Try manually adding .git to the end of your URL, or use the URL that Azure DevOps provides in the "Clone" button

4. Branch Name Conflicts

• Azure DevOps uses master by default, GitHub uses main
• Solution: This generally shouldn't be an issue, but you can try:
  1. Rename the branch in Azure DevOps to main before importing
  2. Or accept that GitHub will create a master branch and you can rename it later

Alternative Import Methods:

Option A: Manual Import via Git CLI

# 1. Clone from Azure DevOps
git clone --mirror https://username:token@dev.azure.com/your-organization/your-project/_git/your-repository

# 2. Create new empty repository in GitHub

# 3. Change to cloned directory
cd your-repository.git

# 4. Push to GitHub
git push --mirror https://github.com/your-username/your-new-repository.git

Option B: Use GitHub CLI

# Install GitHub CLI if you don't have it
gh repo create new-repository --private --source=https://dev.azure.com/your-organization/your-project/_git/your-repository

Option C: Clone Locally Then Push

1. Clone from Azure DevOps normally
2. Create new repository in GitHub
3. Change remote origin and push:

git remote remove origin
git remote add origin https://github.com/your-username/new-repo.git
git push -u origin --all

Recommended Step-by-Step Solution:

1. Prepare Azure DevOps:

   • Generate a personal access token with code read permissions
   • Copy the exact URL of your repository

2. Prepare GitHub:

   • Create an empty repository in GitHub
   • Note the URL of the new repository

3. Use Git locally:

   • Clone from Azure DevOps using the token
   • Change the remote origin to GitHub
   • Push all history

[rfalanga]

Hi @alexhozt, I've generated a Read PAT on my Azure DevOps Services account. Then I tried to use GitHub Import, but that failed, with another obscure error message.

So, I then tried your "Recommended Step-by-Step Solution" also using Option C. That almost worked, but I ran into a different problem at the command line:

remote: error: GH007: Your push would publish a private email address.
remote: You can make your email public or disable this protection by visiting:
remote: https://github.com/settings/emails
To https://github.com/rfalanga/NewRepo.git
! [remote rejected] master -> master (push declined due to email privacy restrictions)
error: failed to push some refs to 'https://github.com/rfalanga/NewRepo.git'

I do want to keep my personal email address private. Is the only option open to me is to temporarily disable the protection I've configured for my GitHub account, push the repo from Azure DevOps into the new repo on GitHub, and then re-enable my email protections? Or is there another way? (And I hope that stuff about master -> master doesn't mean the default branch for the new repo in my GitHub, will, for this new repo, become master.)

[alexhozt]

---

Hello,

The error you're seeing (GH007: Your push would publish a private email address) occurs because the commit history in your Azure DevOps repository contains your private email address, and GitHub has protection enabled to prevent it from being exposed.

You do not need to permanently disable your email protection. You have several options, from the quickest to the most secure:

---

Option 1: The Quickest (Temporary)

1. Go to GitHub → Settings → Emails.
2. Temporarily uncheck the box that says "Keep my email address private".
3. From your local command line, run the git push that previously failed. It should now work.
4. Immediately return to your GitHub settings and re-enable the privacy checkbox.

Advantage: It's instant.
Disadvantage: There is a brief moment when your email is not protected, though the risk is minimal if done quickly.

---

Option 2: The Recommended Approach (Use GitHub's "noreply" Email)

GitHub provides you with an anonymous, public email address specifically for commits.

1. Go to GitHub → Settings → Emails.
2. In the "Primary email address" section, find and copy your "noreply" email address. It has a format like 12345678+yourusername@users.noreply.github.com.
3. Rewrite the history of your local repository to replace your private email with this public GitHub email. Use a tool like git filter-repo (the most modern and safe option):

# Install git-filter-repo if you don't have it (you may need: pip install git-filter-repo)
# Then, from your cloned repository directory:
git filter-repo --email-callback '
  return email.replace(b"your-private-email@example.com", b"12345678+rfalanga@users.noreply.github.com")
' --force

Note: Replace "your-private-email@example.com" with your actual email that appears in the commits (you can check it with git log --oneline --format="%H %ae" | head -5) and b"12345678+rfalanga..." with the "noreply" email you copied from GitHub.

4. Once the history is rewritten, add your GitHub repository as a remote and push:

git remote add github https://github.com/rfalanga/NewRepo.git
git push --force --all github

Advantage: Your private email is never exposed; the history is "clean" forever.
Disadvantage: Rewriting history changes the commit IDs (hashes), which is only a problem if other people already had copies of the old repository (usually not an issue in a migration like this).

---

Regarding Your Concern About the master Branch:

GitHub simply accepts the branch you push. If your local repository has a branch named master, your new GitHub repository will have it too.

If you want it to be named main on GitHub:

1. After a successful push, rename the branch locally:

git branch -m master main

2. Push the new main branch to GitHub:

git push -u origin main

3. (Optional) Delete the remote master branch:

git push origin --delete master

---

My Advice:

• If you want to finish quickly and the repository is only yours, use Option 1.
• If you prefer a cleaner, permanent solution, or if you'll be collaborating with others, use Option 2.

Important Warning: If you choose Option 2 (rewriting history), always work on a freshly cloned copy of your repository, as the changes are irreversible.

I hope this solves your problem. Let me know if you need more details on any of the steps!

If my answer was helpful, please mark it as the accepted solution. Thank you!

[MridulSharma2552007]

The GitHub Importer usually fails with this generic error when it can’t properly authenticate or access the Azure DevOps repository, even if the credentials look correct. This is often caused by Azure DevOps requiring a Personal Access Token (PAT) instead of your normal account password. GitHub Importer does not reliably work with standard ADS credentials.

The repo URL not ending in .git is fine, and the master vs main default branch difference does not matter for importing. GitHub will handle that automatically.

The recommended solution is to generate a PAT in Azure DevOps with code read access and use that token as the password when GitHub Importer asks for credentials. If it still fails, cloning the repo locally and pushing it to GitHub manually is the most reliable workaround.