7 Best-Selling Team Foundation Server Books Millions Love

Trusted picks by Jean-Luc David, Ed Blankenship, and Steve Resnick highlight Team Foundation Server books with proven impact and popularity

Updated on June 24, 2025
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When millions of developers turn to books that both critics and crowds trust, you know you’re looking at something valuable. Team Foundation Server remains a cornerstone in software lifecycle management, and these books have consistently guided teams to streamline collaboration, control versioning, and automate builds with confidence.

Experts like Jean-Luc David, a Microsoft Developer Evangelist with decades of experience, and Ed Blankenship, a Microsoft Program Manager and MVP, have shaped these texts with practical insights drawn from real-world deployments. For instance, David’s deep dive into IT governance in "Professional Team Foundation Server" has helped countless administrators navigate complex environments.

While these popular books provide proven frameworks, readers seeking content tailored to their specific Team Foundation Server needs might consider creating a personalized Team Foundation Server book that combines these validated approaches into a custom learning experience.

Best for server administrators managing TFS
Jean-Luc David, Developer Evangelist for Microsoft Canada, brings decades of hands-on experience writing code and deploying Visual Studio 2005 Team System to this book. His background as a senior consultant and speaker, coupled with years spent creating courseware and supporting developers worldwide, uniquely qualifies him to guide you through the complexities of Team Foundation Server. This book reflects his commitment to helping teams leverage Microsoft tools effectively, blending practical deployment strategies with real-world administration insights.
Professional Team Foundation Server book cover

by Jean-Luc David, Mickey Gousset, Erik Gunvaldson··You?

2006·528 pages·Team Foundation Server, Software Development, Project Management, IT Governance, Lifecycle Management

Jean-Luc David and his co-authors leverage their deep experience with Microsoft's Visual Studio Team System to offer a detailed guide to deploying and administering Team Foundation Server. You learn how to navigate complex environments—like integrating Java and .NET systems—and manage large distributed teams while overseeing the full software lifecycle. Practical insights include implementing IT governance standards such as Sarbanes-Oxley and customizing work items to fit unique workflows. If your role involves project management, IT administration, or daily Team Foundation Server operations, this book equips you with the technical know-how to optimize collaboration and reporting within your team.

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Best for TFS 2010 project managers
Ed Blankenship is a Microsoft MVP and software development expert whose extensive experience with Visual Studio Team Foundation Server shapes this authoritative guide. His background working closely with TFS in various projects lends unique credibility and practical insights to the book, designed to help you master TFS 2010’s features and administration. This expertise translates into a resource that supports both newcomers and seasoned professionals aiming to leverage TFS for efficient software management.
Professional Team Foundation Server 2010 book cover

by Ed Blankenship, Martin Woodward, Grant Holliday, Brian Keller··You?

2011·720 pages·Team Foundation Server, Visual Studio, Project Management, Version Control, Build Automation

The breakthrough moment came when Ed Blankenship and his coauthors harnessed their deep Microsoft MVP experience to demystify Team Foundation Server 2010. This book walks you through core TFS functions like project management, work item tracking, version control, build automation, and test case management with a practical, programmer-to-programmer style. You’ll find detailed chapters on administrating TFS environments and even extending the platform through custom extensions, which is crucial if you’re preparing for the Microsoft TFS 2010 certification. If you’re involved in software development teams aiming to improve collaboration and delivery within Microsoft’s ALM ecosystem, this volume offers both solid foundation and advanced insights.

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Best for custom build automation
This AI-created book on Team Foundation Server build automation is crafted based on your technical background and goals. You share which MSBuild and TFS automation topics interest you most, along with your current skill level, and the book focuses exactly on what you need to advance your build mastery. Personalizing the content means you can dive into the build and deployment areas that truly matter for your projects, making your learning experience both efficient and relevant.
2025·50-300 pages·Team Foundation Server, Build Automation, MSBuild Mastery, Continuous Integration, Custom Build Tasks

This tailored book explores advanced build automation and MSBuild mastery within the Team Foundation Server environment, focusing on your unique background and goals. It covers intricate TFS build configurations, in-depth MSBuild tasks, and custom automation flows to enhance deployment efficiency. By aligning with your specific interests, it reveals how to harness TFS features that matter most to your projects, making complex build processes approachable and effective. The personalized content ensures you engage deeply with techniques that match your experience level and objectives, offering a focused learning journey through essential automation tools and TFS build mechanics.

Tailored Content
Build Automation Insights
1,000+ Happy Readers
Best for agile software teams using TFS
Steve Resnick brings a wealth of experience as founder of BlueMetal Architects and former CTO of Microsoft Technology Centers, joined by Aaron Bjork, a senior program manager at Microsoft focused on Agile tooling, and Michael de la Maza, an Agile coach with clients like Intuit and Verizon Wireless. Their combined insight powers this guide, crafted to help you navigate the complexities of agile project management using Team Foundation Server 2010 and Visual Studio. Their backgrounds ensure the book offers not just theory but proven practices tailored for Microsoft-based software projects.
Professional Scrum with Team Foundation Server 2010 book cover

by Steve Resnick, Aaron Bjork, Michael de la Maza··You?

2011·336 pages·Scrum, Team Foundation Server, Visual Studio, Agile, Project Management

When Steve Resnick, Aaron Bjork, and Michael de la Maza combined their extensive expertise in Microsoft technologies and Agile coaching, they created a detailed manual for managing software projects with Team Foundation Server 2010. You’ll learn how to integrate scrum-based agile development with Microsoft Solutions Framework, mastering tools like Visual Studio’s project management templates, tracking assets, and team models. The book digs into critical challenges such as communication, budgeting, and organization, making it ideal for experienced software project managers and developers working on Microsoft platforms who want to deliver dependable software on schedule.

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Best for mastering TFS 2012 features
Ed Blankenship is the Microsoft Program Manager for Lab Management scenarios and the Visual Studio ALM family, recognized as Microsoft MVP of the Year for Visual Studio ALM & Team Foundation Server before joining Microsoft. His deep expertise and insider perspective drive the content of this book, which equips you to navigate TFS 2012's features and challenges with confidence. Drawing on his years of experience and speaking engagements at major conferences like Microsoft TechEd, Blankenship offers a definitive resource for those committed to mastering this pivotal software management tool.
Professional Team Foundation Server 2012 book cover

by Ed Blankenship, Martin Woodward, Grant Holliday, Brian Keller··You?

2013·792 pages·Team Foundation Server, Software Development, Project Management, Version Control, Build Automation

The methods Ed Blankenship developed while managing Lab Management scenarios at Microsoft sharpen the focus of this extensive guide on Team Foundation Server 2012. You gain a thorough understanding of TFS features from project management and version control to test case management and build automation, along with insights into extending TFS functionality. Chapters dedicated to certification preparation make it especially useful for developers and project managers aiming to validate their skills. This book suits professionals invested in mastering TFS for software lifecycle management, though casual users might find its depth more than necessary.

Microsoft MVP Author
Published by Wrox
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Best for release engineers optimizing pipelines
Larry Brader is the co-author of this book, bringing deep expertise in software development and release processes. Having worked extensively to improve software delivery and operational efficiency, Brader’s insights shape the book’s focus on evolving release pipelines with Team Foundation Server 2012. His practical experience and commitment to incremental improvement make this guide especially relevant to teams aiming to implement continuous delivery without disrupting existing workflows.
Building a Release Pipeline with Team Foundation Server 2012 (Microsoft patterns & practices) book cover

by Larry Brader, Roberta Leibovitz, Jose Luis Soria Teruel··You?

2013·160 pages·Release Management, Team Foundation Server, Continuous Delivery, Build Automation, Environment Management

The methods Larry Brader developed while working extensively in software delivery form the backbone of this book, which guides you through evolving a release pipeline using Team Foundation Server 2012. You’ll learn how to reduce manual steps, integrate automation, and manage environments to speed up software releases without causing disruption. The authors don’t promise instant transformation but emphasize incremental improvements that involve all teams: development, testing, IT, and management. If you’re juggling frequent releases and want to implement continuous delivery principles tailored to TFS, this book offers practical frameworks and real-world insights, especially around customizing build templates and Lab Management.

Published by Microsoft Patterns & Practices
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Best for custom 30-day plans
This AI-created book on agile workflows with Team Foundation Server is tailored to your experience level and specific goals. You share your background, which agile aspects you want to focus on, and your desired outcomes. Then, the book is crafted to guide you step-by-step through implementing agile sprints using TFS within 30 days. This personalized approach helps you learn efficiently by zeroing in on what matters most for your agile project management journey.
2025·50-300 pages·Team Foundation Server, Agile Fundamentals, Sprint Planning, Backlog Management, Work Item Tracking

This tailored book explores a step-by-step approach to implementing agile workflows using Team Foundation Server (TFS) within a condensed 30-day period. It covers essential agile concepts, sprint planning, backlog management, and TFS-specific tools that facilitate seamless project tracking and team collaboration. The content is personalized to match your background and objectives, focusing on your interests and addressing your specific goals for mastering agile project management with TFS. By combining proven agile practices with TFS functionalities, this book reveals how to fast-track your adoption of agile methodologies to enhance project outcomes efficiently.

Tailored Guide
Sprint Optimization
3,000+ Books Created
Best for agile practitioners leveraging TFS 2015
Joachim Rossberg brings decades of IT consulting and hands-on agile coaching experience to this book, reflecting his certifications and roles ranging from system developer to product owner. His expertise with Team Foundation Server and agile methodologies underpins a practical guide for integrating TFS 2015 with agile project management. This background ensures you learn not just theory but actionable ways to use Microsoft's ALM tools effectively in your projects.
2016·208 pages·Agile Programming, Team Foundation Server, Project Management, Application Lifecycle Management, Scrum

Joachim Rossberg draws from over two decades of IT consulting and his deep expertise as a product owner and agile coach to guide you through leveraging Team Foundation Server 2015 for agile project management. The book walks you through setting up agile projects within TFS/VSTS, managing backlogs, and tracking progress using built-in tools like Scrum and Kanban boards. Specific chapters detail customizing TFS to fit your team's workflow and interpreting key metrics to drive project success. If you're involved in software development seeking to integrate agile methods with Microsoft's ALM tools, this book gives you practical insights grounded in real-world experience.

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Best for build engineers mastering MSBuild
Sayed Ibrahim Hashimi is a consultant, trainer, and senior software developer who has designed large-scale distributed applications using a variety of programming languages and platforms, with specific expertise on MSBuild. His extensive background equips him to offer deep insights into MSBuild and Team Foundation Build, making this supplement a valuable resource for developers looking to expand their mastery of build automation in Visual Studio 2012 and beyond.
2013·120 pages·Team Foundation Server, Software Development, DevOps, Build Automation, MSBuild

What happens when deep expertise in distributed applications meets the complexities of MSBuild and Team Foundation Build? Sayed Hashimi and William Bartholomew, both seasoned developers, offer this supplement as an essential extension to the foundational MSBuild knowledge, focusing on Visual Studio 2012 enhancements. You'll explore concrete examples around UI changes, batching, and database publishing, enabling tighter control over build and deployment workflows. This book suits software developers and build engineers aiming to master advanced MSBuild functionalities within Team Foundation Server environments, rather than beginners seeking general overviews.

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Proven Team Foundation Server Methods, Personalized

Get expert-approved TFS strategies tailored to your goals and challenges.

Customized learning paths
Focused skill building
Efficient knowledge gain

Trusted by thousands mastering Team Foundation Server worldwide

TFS Mastery Blueprint
30-Day Agile Sprint System
Strategic TFS Foundations
Release Pipeline Code Secrets

Conclusion

This collection reveals key themes: mastering TFS administration, integrating agile methodologies, and optimizing release pipelines. If you prefer proven methods, start with "Professional Team Foundation Server" and "Professional Team Foundation Server 2012" for comprehensive coverage. For agile practitioners, combining "Agile Project Management using Team Foundation Server 2015" with "Professional Scrum with Team Foundation Server 2010" offers valuable perspectives.

Alternatively, you can create a personalized Team Foundation Server book to combine proven methods with your unique needs. These widely-adopted approaches have helped many readers succeed by providing clear guidance tailored to the complexities of software development and delivery with TFS.

Frequently Asked Questions

I'm overwhelmed by choice – which book should I start with?

Start with "Professional Team Foundation Server" for a solid foundation in TFS administration and deployment. It offers practical insights suitable for most roles and sets the stage for deeper dives into specialized topics.

Are these books too advanced for someone new to Team Foundation Server?

Not at all. While some books go deep, titles like "Professional Team Foundation Server 2010" introduce core concepts clearly, making them approachable for beginners eager to learn TFS fundamentals.

What's the best order to read these books?

Begin with foundational guides like "Professional Team Foundation Server" and "Professional Team Foundation Server 2010." Then explore agile-focused books and advanced topics like build automation and release pipelines.

Are any of these books outdated given how fast Team Foundation Server changes?

Some focus on earlier TFS versions, but their core principles remain relevant. For the latest agile practices, "Agile Project Management using Team Foundation Server 2015" reflects recent updates effectively.

Which book gives the most actionable advice I can use right away?

"Building a Release Pipeline with Team Foundation Server 2012" offers practical steps to optimize your release process, making it highly actionable for release engineers and DevOps teams.

Can I get a Team Foundation Server book tailored to my specific needs?

Yes! While expert books provide excellent foundations, a personalized Team Foundation Server book can combine proven methods with your unique goals and skill level. Learn more here.

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