Install Sourcetree 3 (Windows) without Bitbucket Cloud or Bitbucket Enterprise?
Asked by Louis Rousseau:

My original 2.x install was kept up to date and ran the latest 3.x version.

Authentication issues with our corporate GitHub made me attempt a reinstall; except that now the installer insists I suddenly must create yet another account, one for a service I ++cannot++ use.

Is there a better way than digging around for an old installer?


Answers:
author: Matt Falcon
body: This.

![2019-04-15 14_47_09-Welcome.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/51584i4F2D0988F5D452ED/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "2019-04-15 14_47_09-Welcome.png")

Prevents me from using Sourcetree. Entirely. Prevents.

I don't want a Bitbucket Cloud account. "You can connect **additional** accounts such as Github \[etc\] **once logged in**". Emphasis mine.

This doesn't push me to use your Bitbucket account. It doesn't entice me or sell me on your platform - it pushes me away from Sourcetree instead.

Installing an older version as an official solution is to officially acknowledge that the current version has a major issue. So, will it be fixed? Or will the idiots at the top continue to dictate bad practices that destroy your brand and infuriate your users?

comments: author: jstamm-s101
body: I have quit using SourceTree and left the beta program due to this asinine requirement. No, I don't want a Bitbucket account. No, I'm not going to use it just because you forced me to create it. I'll just use another client.


author: Steve Anderson
body: Yep, I've stop using SourceTree as well. I don't really like the registration requirement, but if you're going to require it, it had better work well. I tried to tie my Atlassian account to Bitbucket with all three key browsers (all current), and all three failed (with various Javascript errors in the console). Really too bad...I liked SourceTree...


author: SapioiT
body: The only bypass is to install the 2.6 version and then update from the tools\>options (or tools\>settings).


author: james hansen
body: This requirement is absolutely terrible, and terribly implemented. I jumped through all of the hoops with my last machine, but now that I've got a new machine I'm stuck forever in the installer at the "Login to Bitbucket waiting for login to finish..." even after I log in, nothing happens. The browser doesn't communicate back to the installer that it's logged in.

I don't use Bitbucket cloud or Bitbucket server. Our company has their own in-house server. Why can't I simply opt out?

**Edit**

After trying multiple times eventually the browser finally decided to communicate with the installer, so if you're stuck at this screen try, try again. After about 50 attempts you might get lucky. :(


author: ihatemash
body: I think I'll read the news until the FREAKING install decides to recognize I logged into a Bitbucket account that I have no intentions of using.............

Great Idea Atlassian - create software that works with GitHub but requires a bitbuckt account even if there are no plans to use the account...... THEN have your install hang up because the installation doesn't recognize when you've logged into an unwanted account.......

I guess I'll just use some other app....


author: bgannin
body: Hi folks,

The general topic of preferring not to have any registration during the welcome wizard was addressed by Jens Schumacher, our Head of Product, in this [ticket's comment](https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/SRCTREE-3452?focusedCommentId=1681786&page=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.issuetabpanels%3Acomment-tabpanel#comment-1681786). Using Bitbucket provides a streamlined registration and setup experience, cutting the process in half.

There were a number of issues with using a direct Atlassian account login\* for Sourcetree in previous versions, resulting in problems for external and internal teams alike. Whitelists were one of them, as dependencies weren't always covered by the rules versus the more self-contained Bitbucket web app (or Bitbucket Server login via API) It's not lightly done - we discussed this internally amongst the Sourcetree, Bitbucket, product and platform teams before making the switch.

Atlassian's Sourcetree 3.x (Windows, Mac) will only work with a Bitbucket Cloud or Bitbucket Server account. Earlier versions are unsupported and may stop working at any point - 2.x uses deprecated API endpoints for login and 1.x had a license generated by the Atlassian user portal.

At this point Bitbucket Cloud and Atlassian accounts should be linked and interchangeable AFAIK. Please reach out to Support directly if that's not the case and they can provide more precise information around accounts.

With all that said, we are listening. We understand your frustrations and continue to discuss what the best options are moving forward to support the myriad environments of our millions of developers. I hope that helps clarify a bit and we appreciate your passion and patience.

Brian Ganninger  
Principal Developer, Sourcetree

\* "atlassian.com" would not be sufficient to clear login pages, there's usually two or three domains in play from start to finish, there's 2FA, and other unexpected hurdles.

comments: author: Jeroen Walter
body: "Using Bitbucket provides a streamlined registration and setup experience, cutting the process in half."

Except that it doesn't. The last few times I tried to install SourceTree 3.x, it asked me to register at Bitbucket, for which I already had an account registered via a previous attempt. When logging in, the installer refused to continue, waiting for some magic to happen, without providing feedback.

The best option for me would be to make registration entirely optional. I don't use or intend to use Bitbucket, so for me this only is an obstacle.


author: Matt Falcon
body: What you've done is take the most complicated route, that satisfies only the edge cases (whitelists, weird corp environments) and mandate that it must be used because solving the edge cases is all you've cared about.

What you did in 1.0 (as I read, haven't experienced) is to take a token from the site (which I am clearly on, writing this, clearly logged in with my account) and put it into the program. Neat! Everyone that can browse a website can do that.

Then, in 2.0, you integrated that web stuff into the installer -- taking a step backward, now the site has no memory of already logged-in users or saved passwords, making it annoying, but still doable.

Now, in 3.0, you try to link the installer to a browser (always a bad idea due to how sketchy that link is, like a string of cotton candy cabling a release lever over to a latch), AND you require a different type of login that's not simply an Atlassian account (as in 1.0 and 2.0) - even though you say it is, the experience is not that way.

It's gotten progressively, and significantly, worse, version over version. The method in 1.0 would work great, just need either an offline key validator (like 90s/00s serial-driven software) or a network-based check (is it so hard to ping the server for validation?), and voila! Everyone can be happy. Or at least, we can go back to simply requiring an Atlassian account, not a more complicated Bitbucket account with the auth mechanism held to a browser by a string of cotton candy.

(Meanwhile, <http://fork.dev> looks amazing!)


author: kayy11
body: In my dreams I would spend a few Euros to buy the software and then just use it the way I want.

After 30 to 60 minutes the installer finally made it (you have to sign out in other browsers to let Edge doing authentication and then you have to be patient).

I really like SourceTree but don't have any advantage in connecting to bit bucket as I need to have access to privately hosted repositories.


author: bgannin
body: Re: "Waiting for some magic to happen" ... this typically happens when another Git client, such as Fork, Tower, and others are registered as the handler for sourcetree:// URLs instead of well, Sourcetree. They do so to *support*"Open in Sourcetree" URLs on Bitbucket but in doing so break the registration process.


author: Jeroen Walter
body: There were no other Git clients installed at the time.

And why would you rely, during installation, on a handler for sourcetree:// urls for user registration?

I wasn't trying to clone a Git repository, I was waiting for the sourcetree user registration to finish....


author: Luka Piljek
body: "They do so to *support* "Open in Sourcetree" URLs on Bitbucket but in doing so break the registration process."  

No, \*they\* don't brake anything, YOU broke it by assuming your software is the only git client installed on my computer. Don't try to blame your mistakes on other people and fix your stuff instead of insisting that you know what's best for us.


author: UPWT
body: I am required by the gov't to have offline development computers. We're establishing our Bitbucket Server instance in-house (offline!) and I can't install Sourcetree and use a local instance of Git and switch to our Server instance when it is up and running....Boo.


author: Matt Whitaker
body: Streamlined? HaHa. It's annoying to have to register for a product I'm not going to use. And I might have had an open mind on it but after cursing through this every time I upgrade I'm seriously looking at other solutions.


author: Jeroen Walter
body: Can someone from the Atlassian team at least acknowledge that this is a problem?

If they intend to open Internet Explorer (god knows why is this day and age), then this obviously doesn't work, as it opens Chrome for me.

What is the official stance of Atlassian on this?

Do we seriously need to create a bitbucket (cloud) account, even if we don't intend to use it?

comments: author: Jeroen Walter
body: Seeing as Atlassian is not making any effort to address our complaints here or clarify their registration policy, I've stopped using SourceTree and have switched to git Fork, <https://fork.dev/>


author: Tim Julius
body: I have looked at a few alternatives, and hadn't come across this one. After looking in to it a bit, I have opted to try it out and have enjoyed it thus far.  

Thank you very much :)


author: patelviral
body: I have the same issue now using Git Fork.

Sorry SourceTree but you left me with no choice.


author: UPWT
body: I am using GitExtensions now with good luck.


author: ihatemash
body: Wow - I tried Fork and..... It actually installed. Not only that, it automatically detected my local repository and was completely setup in less time that it took me to read a lot of the negative comments on how SourceTree's install is such a pain. I used to tell everyone about SourceTree. But now it doesn't even install. Hope Fork is as easy to use as it was to install.


author: Will Thomson
body: Any updates on this? Our corporate firewall blocks bitbucket.org but not Atlassian.com so we are now unable to install the latest version directly.


author: Jonathan Dumas
body: Well, came here to read about the same issue and then decided to un-register and uninstall Sourcetree. Oh, and I took the time to create a precious atlassian account, just so I can say this : Bye bye!


author: Michael Ambrozaitis
body: I'm seeing this same issue on Windows 10 with Source Tree 3.1.3. The registration authentication fails in every browser including IE. Honestly seeing all of the people experiencing this issue with virtually no response from Atlassian makes me think it's time to drop Source Tree altogether.


author: llangland
body: How hard would it be to allow the SourceTree 3.x installation to authenticate with our institution's existing Atlassian suite SSO system?

We already pay for Bitbucket. We should not need to have two parallel Bitbucket systems in order for SourceTree to work.

comments: author: llangland
body: Solved. For institutional subscribers, you need to choose the "BitBucket Server" option, type in the URL of your BitBucket installation, and then your SSO will work.


author: paul nisbett
body: Altassian are a freaking joke.

Git is useful but their software and policies do everything in their power to make your day much longer.


author: UPWT
body: I have by requirement DISCONNECTED secure systems on which we develop code. I can not install Sourcetree because of this requirement.

I am now trying out Git Extensions and it seems to work ok, although I do prefer Sourcetree as I had worked to get it working with LabVIEW Compare and LabVIEW Merge when needed.

comments: author: SapioiT
body: Honestly, maybe the right answer is to simply give up on Source Tree and make our own Open SourceTree. Maybe also make a play on words and call it OpenBranch (from Open Source Tree Branch, indicating OpenBranch contains all the things which made SourceTree great, including but not being limited to having a list of all the projects/repos to quickly go from project to project).


author: Cameron Childress
body: Adding my voice to this. I cannot use SourceTree as a result of this requirement.

comments: author: SapioiT
body: I wonder if the right answer is simply to give up on Source Tree and make our own Open SourceTree. Maybe use words wisely and call it OpenBranch, which would combine with SourceTree to say Open Source Tree Branch, indicating OpenBranch contains all the things which made SourceTree great, including but not being limited to having a list of all the projects/repos to quickly go from project to project).


author: Cameron Childress
body: Realistically this is Atlassian's product and if they want to use it to lock people into their product line, that's their prerogative. But [@bgannin](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/744444) telling us that it's to streamline the process is insulting.


author: SapioiT
body: Well, it doesn't really matters what they're just saying, what matters the most is what they act out in the world. For example, this is an anti-consumer behaviour which has the potential to make their whole product basically flop overnight (though that overnight could be manifested as slowly losing users for months until a god enough alternative hits the market and sourcetree users will flee in masses).  

Does not matter what they say they do, but what they actually do. If they're deploying anti-consumer behaviour, they are obviously either proving incompetence or ill intent. They have yet to find out that they need the users, but the users don't need them, so they are the commodity, not the users.


author: Jimmy Seddon
body: Hello Everyone,

There have been a number of posts about this issue in the past 12 hours, I wonder if people might be running into either of these:

It looks like you might be running into this:

<https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/SRCTREEWIN-10965>

or

<https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/SRCTREEWIN-11942>

While no solution or workaround has been posted yet, you might want to go a dn vote and comment on those issues.

Sorry I can't offer more help.

-James


author: Philipp B?hme
body: This issue hasn't been solved till today!? I upgraded my 2.6.10 Version to the latest 3.1 and now i stuck on a Registration screen asking for BitBucket.

Is this the new way of sourcetree? I really would like to know wheater this is the standard or not. I used sourcetree for years but right now i can't anymore, i can not skip the Registration screen.


author: Tobi De
body: This issue is still there. Please fix it! I would never use an atlassian bitbucket cloud account. Its should be enough to register on your main page.

Thanks in advance.


author: MikeLib
body: This issue is also on mac for 3.1 version. Downgrade to 2.x.


author: Jeroen Walter
body: Why hasn't this been solved yet?

Why even rely on Internet Explorer????

The 3.x installer opens Chrome, lets me login via my Atlassian account, then insists I create a Bitbucket Cloud account I will never use. All the while the installer is waiting for some reason.

I too have just installed the previous 2.6 version, then updated from within that version to 3.0.17. That went perfectly.


author: Glen Self
body: I have the same issue.

Your system won't let me post a screen shot.

It is the box with a blue menu on the left

install is checked and registration is highlighted

can't go anywhere except bitbucket or bitbucketserver

comments: author: Alexander Fauland
body: Hi Glen,

I think the only solution for now is to download the previous version 2.6.10.0. Here's the link which Louis already posted above: <https://www.sourcetreeapp.com/download-archives>

Best, Alexander


author: Glen Self
body: Guess I'll just wait until they fix it. Don't have a lot of confidence in a product that won't even install. What else is broken?


author: Ana Retamal
body: Hi Louis!

The new account you're talking about in your message, is it to register Sourcetree during the installation steps? If you don't use Bitbucket Cloud nor Bitbucket Server, your other option is to register the installation using your Atlassian account. You're already using an Atlassian account to sign up to the online Community, so you won't need to create a new one, you can use the same credentials. Once the installation is completed you can connect your Github account as normal.

Please let us know if that's where you were stuck. Otherwise, sending a screenshot will also help put us in the right context.

Let us know!

Ana

comments: author: Louis Rousseau
body: Hello Ana,

I expected the Atlassian account to be enough, but the installer gave only two options: Bitbucket and Bitbucket Server; clicking Bitbucket puts the installer in a state where it awaits authentication from a (Chrome) browser window. That page recognizes I have an Atlassian account and prompts me to create a Bitbucket Cloud username. Closing the page fails the authentication for the installer.

Regards,

Louis


author: Ana Retamal
body: Hi Louis, that's weird. Our Windows version of Sourcetree relies on Internet Explorer for authentication, so I'd expect it would open a IE window. Can you also make sure IE is updated to the latest version? There's been cases where having an older one caused issues.

If it prompts you again to create a Bitbucket Cloud account, could you take a screenshot and post it here?

Thanks!

Ana


author: Alexander Fauland
body: Hi Ana and Louis,

I'm facing the exact same issue. Just downloaded SourceTree and tried to install. Unable to finish the first app-start since it requires a Bitbucket cloud account.

Any update on this one?

Thanks and kind regards,

Alexander


author: Louis Rousseau
body: Hello Alexander,

Haven't had time to further deal with this. I simply retrieved the 2.6.10.0 installer from <https://www.sourcetreeapp.com/download-archives> and haven't re-updated to 3.x since.

Sincerely,

Louis


author: Alexander Fauland
body: Hi Louis,

yeah, I did the same - just download the previous version.

Thanks.

Best, Alexander


author: William Cooley
body: Any update on this?

Just got a complaint from a new user at our office about this.


author: Tim Julius
body: Still having to rock v2.6 because of this issue.


author: SapioiT
body: Thanks!  
By using the 2.6.10.0 version, I finally managed to update Sourcetree, since the 1.9 version did not work with Github anymore.


Tags: bitbucket