Should we use MS Team Foundation Server if we are not using VS?

Question

We are about to roll out a project management system and we came across TFS. It seems pretty powerful as it can integrate version control system and project management tools into one server. But we are not a visual studio shop. Our development is done with Java/Php/Obj-C. Is TFS still useable without VS?

Answer 1

The key difference between TFS and the rest is the highly integrated nature of Source Control with Worth Item tracking and the fact that you have a data warehouse on top of both.

In terms of raw source control features, TFS and Subversion compare well. Obvioulsy, TFS has the benefit of talking to SQL Server 2005, meaning that any SQL tools and knowledge can be used to backup the database etc, off the top of my head - Subversion lacks the shelving, the caching proxy and and lightwieght labelling features but does have a better offline story than TFS V1.

TFS, Subversion and things like Vault are great, modern, Source Control systems. You'll notice I left VSS out of that list :-). While the Source Control features of TFS are very good - it does much, much more stuff than version control...

You can also take a look at some other studies have been carried out. But then again, just because other people have decided to adopt the product doesn't mean that you have to. There is plenty of competition in the developer tools market for you to get the tools you need at a price that you can afford.

In terms of convincing your management, then an explaination of the integration between work item tracking and source control along with a cost comparison of buying the equivalent (not integrated) products for your organisation should do the trick.

Answer 2

I wouldn't wish TFS on my worst enemy. I've only ever used it for source control and have no experience with its other facilities, but it has caused me immense grief. TFS source control facilities are cumbersome, complicated, incomplete, error prone, failure prone and generally difficult to use. I only use it because I'm forced to at work. Even if project management tools were totally awesome (which I gather they're not) I wouldn't want to use them because of the pain TFS source control regularly causes me.

There are plenty of more or less reasonable analyses of this tool on the web (in addition to all the hate filled diatribes). Here are a few from nearby:

Should we migrate from svn to Team Foundation Server 2010?

Experience with SVN vs. Team Foundation Server?

TFS vs SVN

Answer 3

With the languages you mention, you might look into using Jazz. http://www.jazz.net