Unleashing the Power of Visual Studio 2017 with TFS

Visual Studio 2017 is a tool with immense potential for developers, and one of its standout features is its capability to work seamlessly with TFS (Team Foundation Server). However, in order to realize the full scope of this feature, you need to have Team Explorer properly installed and configured. Here’s how:

Step 1: Visual Studio 2017 Download and Installation

The first step is to download and install Visual Studio 2017. You can easily access the installer by clicking the “Download Visual Studio” button on Microsoft’s website. Once the download finishes, launch the installer and follow the on-screen procedure to complete installation.

Step 2: Launch Visual Studio

After you have installed Visual Studio 2017, open it from the Start menu. You’ll be greeted with a welcome screen that looks something like this:

Step 3: Navigate to the Extensions and Updates Manager

Inside the Visual Studio application, select the “Tools” menu, and click “Extensions and Updates”. This launches the Extensions and Updates Manager, which lists all installed extensions and lets you download and install new extensions.

Step 4: Install Team Explorer for Visual Studio 2017

In the Extensions and Updates Manager, click on the “Online” tab and enter “Team Explorer” in the search bar. This will present you with a list of different extensions linked to Team Explorer. Look for “Team Explorer for Microsoft Visual Studio 2017” and click the “Download” button to initiate the installation.

Once the download and installation process is complete, you’ll see a new “Team Explorer” tab at the top of the Visual Studio window, as seen below:

Step 5: Configure Team Explorer

After successfully installing Team Explorer, you now need to configure it to work with your TFS server. To do this, tap on the “Connect” button in the Team Explorer tab, and this will prompt a dialog box. Here, enter your TFS server URL and login credentials, then click on “Connect” to initiate connection to your TFS server.

After successfully connecting, you’ll gain access to all the features of Team Explorer, including work item management, code check-in and check-out, and more.

Conclusion

If you work with TFS, Team Explorer is an indispensable tool, and with Visual Studio 2017, getting it up and running is a breeze. By following the steps outlined here, you’ll be able to download and install Team Explorer and get started with its powerful features. With Team Explorer, collaborating with your team has never been more efficient or hassle-free, while code management, project timelines, and overall productivity improve drastically.