Fix "Cannot determine the organization name" for Azure DevOps Git URLs

This error occurs when Git cannot properly authenticate with Azure DevOps repositories hosted on dev.azure.com. The issue typically arises after updating Visual Studio, Git, or when using multiple Git clients.

Problem Overview

When attempting to push or pull from Azure DevOps Git repositories, you may encounter this error:

Cannot determine the organization name for this 'dev.azure.com' remote
url. ensure the `credential.usehttppath` configuration value is set,
or set the organization name as the user in the remote url
'{org}@dev.azure.com'.

This authentication failure prevents Git operations while cloning may still work.

Solutions

Primary Solution: Enable credential.useHttpPath

The most effective solution is to configure Git to use the HTTP path for credentials:

git config --global credential.useHttpPath true

This setting ensures Git Credential Manager includes the repository path when authenticating with Azure DevOps.

Alternative Git Configuration Methods

If you're using a GUI client, configure the setting through these interfaces:

Git Bash/Command Line

git config credential.useHttpPath true

Git Bash/Command Line (Global)

git config --global credential.useHttpPath true

Visual Studio Configuration

For Visual Studio users:

1. Navigate to Tools > Options > Source Control > Git Global Settings
2. Ensure Credential helper is set to GCM Core
3. Consider setting these additional recommended values:
   • Prune remote branches during fetch: False
   • Rebase local branch when pulling: False
   • Cryptographic network provider: OpenSSL

WARNING

Visual Studio may not persist Git settings changes in some versions. If settings revert, try the command-line configuration method.

Update Git and Credential Manager

Outdated versions of Git or Git Credential Manager can cause this issue:

1. Update Git for Windows: git update-git-for-windows
2. Install the latest Git Credential Manager Core
3. During installation, select the non-deprecated credential manager option

SourceTree Configuration

For SourceTree users experiencing this issue:

1. Go to Tools > Options > Git
2. Under Git Version, select System (uses your system Git installation)
3. Alternatively, update your remote URL format from:

   https://[organization].visualstudio.com/[path-to-repo]

   to:

   https://[organization]@dev.azure.com/[path-to-repo]

Verify Current Configuration

Check your current Git configuration with:

git config --list | grep credential

You should see credential.usehttppath=true in the output if properly configured.

Prevention and Best Practices

• Keep Git and Git Credential Manager updated to the latest versions
• Use consistent Git clients to avoid configuration conflicts
• For organizational environments, ensure all developers use the same credential helper configuration
• When migrating from visualstudio.com to dev.azure.com URLs, update all remote references

TIP

If problems persist after trying these solutions, completely uninstalling and reinstalling Git often resolves lingering configuration issues.

Conclusion

The "Cannot determine the organization name" error typically stems from credential configuration problems between Git and Azure DevOps. The most reliable solution is enabling credential.useHttpPath, ensuring proper authentication with Azure DevOps repositories. Keep your development tools updated and maintain consistent configuration across your Git clients to prevent similar issues.