How to manage multiple components with IBM Bluemix

Question

We have an application that is comprised of multiple distinct components (different functions / languages).

Is it possible in IBM Bluemix to use a single Track & Plan feature to manage the work items for the components but keep the source code in separate git repositories? For example, I would like to have one backlog for the overall application which is then backed by 5 separate git repos which house the individual components (project-frontend, project-backend, project-queue etc..).

If this is not possible does anybody have a pattern that has worked in streamlining the overall Track & Plan and still enabling the delivery pipeline / managing individual git repos? Ideally I'd like to centralize task management but keep the code distributed.

Answer 1

As of now, there is not a way to manage distributed git repos from a single Track & Plan project in an integrated fashion. That is not to say that it cannot be done manually, but you would need to link to commits in the remote repos in a given work item.

This can be done through the Links tab of any given work item and using the Add SVN Revisions or Add Related Artifacts. This would allow you to link to the remote repos (whether in IDS, GitHub, or private SCM tooling), while still leveraging Track & Plan as an overall planning repo.

Some of this is due to the way projects are constructed in IBM Bluemix DevOps Services today. A single project has the notion of a single git repo, a single Track & Plan instance, and a single Build Pipeline. Some of these requirements are expanding, but the platform provides integration capabilities to work with your code the way you need to right now. For example, project owners can build from remote GitHub repos in the project's Build Pipeline, so that code can be managed as you see fit, but built and deployed on IBM Bluemix.