CSC/ECE 517 Fall 2009/wiki1a 4 SCM
Source Code Management is a mechanism to track and store the modifications made to files during large scale software development. This is achieved by assigning a unique version number (also called revision number) for changes made to a file. Along with the version number, it also stores the username who made the changes, time-stamp and comments from the user. Version control provides a suitable environment for distributed, collaborative software development as it supports Version Comparisons, Restorations, and Merging etc.
Some of the commercial Version control systems are CVS, SVN, Git, Mercurial, Bazaar, LibreSource, Montone, Clearcase, Perforce etc.
Overview
Terminologies and Definitions
Before one understands the best practices of Source Code Management, the user must be aware of the terminologies involved. The following list provides a non-comprehensive list of terms involved in SCM.
- Repository: It is a database storing the files. This can be either distributed or centralized. In case of distributed, every user will have their own local repository copy and merging takes place peer to peer. Where as in centralized, there is only one main repository server.
- Client / Server: Computer hosting the repository is known as the server and the computer which connects to the repository is known as client.
- Workspace: The space used by the user for editing, testing, debugging and building purpose is named as workspace. Workspace is private copy of files. Any changes made to it is confined to the local copy which is not updated in the repository unless the user explicitly commit the changes. Workspace is also known as "Sandboxes" or "Views".
- Add: The action of putting a new file/folder into the repository for the first time. Version control starts only when files are 'Added'.
- Checkin:
- Checkout:
- Version No:
- Branch:
- Merge:
- Lock:
- History:
- Build:
- Repository: