How to access Bitbucket repositories from Netbeans 18
Asked by Tom Kirby:

We have been using the bucket for years. The access changes in 2023 have dropped a nuke on productivity by cutting us off from our repo code. The latest change was to add "Repository Access Tokens" -- easy to create, but not easy to use. I have tried every combination of username/password possible to create the url to the .git file, without success. I have tried Git for Windows, and GCM, both created new rabbit holes to drop into. I just want to be able to push/pull from our shared repositories on bitbucket. Can someone please help?


Answers:
author: Tom Kirby
body: x-token-auth did not work, as I explained before, I tested it with every permutation. no go.

did not know windows had a credentials manager. found it. does not contain any references to bitbucket. could have been referring to GIT credentials manager, but I don't know. I don't have git installed on my computer -- did not need it.

SSH seems impossibly complex -- six different applications to install, 2 or 3 different powershell versions, none of the powershell commands run without errors, -- in short, another weeks-long nightmare.

I just need a connection to the bitbucket server that works.

I just need an interface that works now.

comments: author: Theodora Boudale
body: Hi Tom,

I see that you created a ticket with the support team about a 504 error when pushing.

This error is not related to authentication. I would suggest focusing on the support ticket to avoid any confusion that may arise from dicussing the issue on two different places.

If you get authentication-related errors when using a repository access token, please reach out via the support ticket.

Kind regards,  
Theodora


author: Tom Kirby
body: Two different issues, two different threads. I know of no limitations on the number of simultaneous issues that can be open. So, far neither issue has been completely resolved, and the two will soon merge into the same SSH issue. An active link would seem appropriate.


author: Theodora Boudale
body: Hi Tom,

There are details on how to use Repository Access tokens in the following documentation:

* <https://support.atlassian.com/bitbucket-cloud/docs/using-access-tokens/>

I believe what you're looking for is either in the section **Repository Access Tokens through the interactive password prompt** or in the section **Include the Repository Access Token in the URL**.

Please feel free to let me know if this helps, if you need further help, or if you have any questions.

Kind regards,  
Theodora

comments: author: Tom Kirby
body: Thanks, but no cigar. I read that page and it did not help. That was before I posted here.


author: Tom Kirby
body: I finally got it to connect. The new repository access codes did not work. Period. One of the old shorter access codes did. I have no idea why. I thought those were supposed to be old and deleted. There was considerable confusion over what username to use in the url given to netbeans. Could be: 1) x-token-auth, 2) the bitbucket account username, 3) maybe even the RAT name. Who knows? It does not say anything in the docs about it, except the explicit reference to x-token-auth, which did not work. For clarity, I am talking about <https://username:password@bitbucket.org/this/that/repo.git>

This is the url that netbeans wants, or used to be before the RATS sank the ship. Drum roll.... the answer is #2, the bitbucket account username. Omit the password from the url, form your complete url, enter the short access code from olden times (last year) manually as the password, and viola, it works. At least for now. Maybe it will change again tomorrow. My client managed to get SSH to work and storing the key solved all his problems. I think he used a Linux machine, though. Cheater.


author: Theodora Boudale
body: Hi Tom,

The username of your Bitbucket account is used in the URL when you use an [App password](https://support.atlassian.com/bitbucket-cloud/docs/app-passwords/) as an authentication method.

Then, the URL of the repo should be

```
https://{username}@bitbucket.org/{workspace-id}/{repo-slug}.git
```

App passwords are not deprecated and they continue to work. It is account passwords that are deprecated for Git operations over HTTPS and API (they can only be used for logging in to <https://bitbucket.org/> from browser).

<br />

If you want to use a Repository Access Token instead, then the URL of the repo should be

```
https://x-token-auth@bitbucket.org/{workspace-id}/{repo-slug}.git
```

**x-token-auth** should be used as is  
**{workspace-id}** and **{repo-slug}** should be replaced with the respective values for your repo.

If you are having issues, please try clearing any saved credentials for bitbucket.org from the credential manager.

You can also try generating a new Repository Access Token and use that instead, in case there was an error with copy-pasting the existing one (e.g. copying missed a certain character).

<br />

You can also set up SSH keys on a Windows machine if you prefer that, it is not a Linux-only feature. You can find more details about this here:

* <https://support.atlassian.com/bitbucket-cloud/docs/set-up-personal-ssh-keys-on-windows/>

Kind regards,  
Theodora


Tags: bitbucket-cloud

cloud