Getting Started with AWS CodeCommit: A Developer's Guide to Secure Git Repositories

Introduction

If you've been using GitHub or GitLab, but want to keep your code entirely within the AWS ecosystem, AWS CodeCommit is your answer. It's a fully-managed source control service that hosts secure Git repositories. Let's dive into how to get started and make the most of CodeCommit.

What Makes CodeCommit Special?

Before we jump into the technical details, here's why CodeCommit stands out:

• Fully managed by AWS (no server maintenance!)

• Encrypted repositories by default

• Seamless integration with other AWS services

• Pay only for active users and storage

• High availability across multiple AWS regions

Setting Up CodeCommit

1. Prerequisites

First, make sure you have:

• An AWS account

• AWS CLI installed on your machine

• Git installed locally

• Basic understanding of Git commands

2. Initial Setup

bashCopy# Install the AWS CLI
pip install awscli

# Configure AWS credentials
aws configure

3. Creating Your First Repository

bashCopy# Create a new repository
aws codecommit create-repository --repository-name my-first-repo --repository-description "My first CodeCommit repository"

# Clone the repository
git clone https://git-codecommit.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/v1/repos/my-first-repo

Important Security Features

Setting Up IAM User Credentials

jsonCopy{
    "Version": "2012-10-17",
    "Statement": [
        {
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "codecommit:GitPull",
                "codecommit:GitPush"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:codecommit:*:*:*"
        }
    ]
}

Setting Up HTTPS Git Credentials

1. Go to IAM console

2. Select your user

3. Choose "Security credentials" tab

4. Under "HTTPS Git credentials for AWS CodeCommit", click "Generate"

Daily Workflow with CodeCommit

Basic Commands

bashCopy# Check repository status
git status

# Create and switch to a new branch
git checkout -b feature-branch

# Add files to staging
git add .

# Commit changes
git commit -m "Add new feature"

# Push to CodeCommit
git push origin feature-branch

Best Practices

1. Branch Strategy

   • Use main/master for production code

   • Create feature branches for new development

   • Use development branch for integration testing

2. Commit Messages

    Copyfeat: Add user authentication
    fix: Resolve database connection issue
    docs: Update README installation steps
   

3. Code Reviews

   • Use CodeCommit's pull request feature

   • Set up branch protection rules

   • Require minimum number of approvals

Integration with AWS Services

CodeBuild Integration

yamlCopyversion: 0.2
phases:
  build:
    commands:
      - npm install
      - npm test
  post_build:
    commands:
      - npm run build

CodePipeline Setup

1. Source: CodeCommit repository

2. Build: CodeBuild project

3. Deploy: Various deployment options (ECS, EC2, Lambda)

Common Troubleshooting

1. Access Denied

bashCopy# Check AWS credentials
aws sts get-caller-identity

# Verify Git remote URL
git remote -v

2. Push Rejected

bashCopy# Pull latest changes
git pull origin main --rebase

# Force push (use with caution!)
git push -f origin feature-branch

Cost Considerations

• Free tier includes:

  • 5 active users per month

  • 50 GB-month of storage

  • 10,000 Git requests per month

• Beyond free tier:

  • $1 per active user per month

  • $0.06 per GB-month

  • $0.001 per Git request

Monitoring and Logs

bashCopy# View repository events
aws codecommit get-repository-triggers --repository-name my-first-repo

# Set up CloudWatch alarms
aws cloudwatch put-metric-alarm --alarm-name RepoSize --metric-name RepositorySize

Tips for Teams

1. Repository Organization

    Copy/
    ├── src/
    ├── tests/
    ├── docs/
    ├── .gitignore
    ├── README.md
    └── buildspec.yml
   

2. Branch Naming Conventions

    Copyfeature/user-auth
    bugfix/login-error
    hotfix/security-patch
   

Conclusion

AWS CodeCommit provides a secure, scalable, and integrated solution for source control management. While it may seem daunting at first, its integration with other AWS services makes it a powerful choice for teams already using AWS infrastructure.

Next Steps

1. Set up your first repository

2. Configure branch protection

3. Create your first pull request

4. Integrate with CodeBuild and CodePipeline

Remember: The key to mastering CodeCommit is regular practice and gradually exploring its features as your needs grow.

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