CSC/ECE 517 Fall 2011/ch1 1f rs

Comparing version-control systems from the programmer's standpoint:

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Introduction

Version control also called Sub-Version Control and Revision Control helps large projects from spinning out of control by letting different programmers, each handle a project from a different angle without getting in each other’s way and without doing damage that cannot be undone.

Some of the most popular version control systems are RCS, SVN, CVS, Mercurial and Git. This article intends to compare these version control systems in a programmer’s viewpoint.

Which version control system is the best suited for programmers?

There are a number of solutions out there, and we have put together a definitive feature comparison for reference on deciding about the best choice.

The main difference between Version Control Systems is whether they are server based or peer to peer based. Either they have a centralized repository where code is checked out and back in with changes, or a setup where the code is frequently updated from peer sources, a more decentralized network to keep your code current.

The article further compares all the Version Control Systems like RCS, CVS and Distributed Version Control Systems. Also, the article compares multiple Version Control applications like Mercurial, Git, Clearcase and CVS. Comparison is done in the view of programmer. Various commands used in different applications are discussed.