Git is a distributed version control system, and OpenStack Heat template blueprints and configuration files are stored in Git repositories. You can store files in three kinds of repositories:
In addition to the default repository, the blueprint design server creates a repository on the local Git server for each team. When you create blueprints in the team's repository, all members of the team can access those files. If the team name does not contain spaces, then the Git repository name is the team name. If the team name contains spaces, then the Git repository name contains dash characters (-) in place of the spaces.
In addition to using the default and team-based repositories that the blueprint design server creates, you can also use an external Git repository. You can clone your repository and access it from within the blueprint designer. From the Repositories list, click Clone Repository, and then specify a URL. You can work with Git repositories that a system administrator sets up or with repositories on the web such as IBM Bluemix® DevOps Services. For example, connect to a Git repository on IBM Bluemix DevOps Services by specifying a URL that is similar to https://hub.jazz.net/git/user_name/project_name.
If items are stored in the default repository, when you open a blueprint or configuration file in the blueprint designer, you always see the most recent version of that file. Saving a blueprint or configuration file updates the version in the Git repository automatically. No steps are necessary to store changes in the repository or retrieve updates from the repository.
If items are stored in a team-based or external repository, when you open a blueprint or configuration file in the blueprint designer, you might not see the most recent version of that file. You must manipulate the files by using Git functions, such as commit, fetch, and push, to share your changes and view the changes others make. All Git functions that are available in the blueprint design server are displayed on the Repositories page.