Lets ponder on some details about Subversion to begin with
Subversion is a free/open source version control system (VCS). That is, Subversion manages files and directories, and the changes made to them, over time. This allows you to recover older versions of your data or examine the history of how your data changed
Subversion is different as compared to typical file server as it remembers every change ever written to it—every change to every file, and even changes to the directory tree itself, such as the addition, deletion, and rearrangement of files and directories.
Do you need it?
If you need to archive old versions of files and directories, possibly resurrect them, or examine logs of how they've changed over time, then Subversion is exactly the right tool for you. If you need to collaborate with people on documents (usually over a network) and keep track of who made which changes, then Subversion is also appropriate. This is why Subversion is so often used in software development environments
How it works?
At its core is a repository, which is a central store of data(there can be multiple repositories sitting on the server for that matter). The repository stores information in the form of a filesystem tree—a typical hierarchy of files and directories. Any number of clients connect to the repository, and then read or write to these files. By writing data, a client makes the information available to others; by reading data, the client receives information from others.
So the user specific read/write permissions are always repository specific.
TRUNK
The main development area. This is where your next major release of the code lives, and generally has all the newest features. This would also mean that trunk would be the main body of development, originating from the start of the project until the present.
BRANCHES
Every time you release a major version, it gets a branch created. This allows you to do bug fixes and make a new release without having to release the newest - possibly unfinished or untested - features.
Branch will be a copy of code derived from a certain point in the trunk that is used for applying major changes to the code while preserving the integrity of the code in the trunk. If the major changes work according to plan, they are usually merged back into the trunk.
In general, you would see two branch types:
TAGS
Every time you release a version (final release, release candidates (RC), and betas) you make a tag for it. This gives you a point-in-time copy of the code as it was at that state, allowing you to go back and reproduce any bugs if necessary in a past version, or re-release a past version exactly as it was. Branches and tags in SVN are lightweight - on the server, it does not make a full copy of the files, just a marker saying "these files were copied at this revision" that only takes up a few bytes. With this in mind, you should never be concerned about creating a tag for any released code. As I said earlier, tags are often omitted and instead, a changelog or other document clarifies the revision number when a release is made.
A tag is final. Its content should never change. NEVER. Ever. You forgot a line in the release note? Create a new tag. Obsolete or remove the old one.
Let's say you start a new project. You start working in "trunk", on what will eventually be released as version 1.0.
You can also continue to maintain 1.0 if you'd like, porting bug fixes between all three branches (1.0, 1.1, and trunk). The important takeaway is that for every main version of the software you are maintaining, you have a branch that contains the latest version of code for that version.
Some good commit message can be following
Well, subversion is a huge topic to cover a single blog, and I have limited my blog to mainly the basic subversion; trunk, branches, tags and commits to keep is relatively short and to the point.
Subversion is a free/open source version control system (VCS). That is, Subversion manages files and directories, and the changes made to them, over time. This allows you to recover older versions of your data or examine the history of how your data changed
Subversion is different as compared to typical file server as it remembers every change ever written to it—every change to every file, and even changes to the directory tree itself, such as the addition, deletion, and rearrangement of files and directories.
Do you need it?
If you need to archive old versions of files and directories, possibly resurrect them, or examine logs of how they've changed over time, then Subversion is exactly the right tool for you. If you need to collaborate with people on documents (usually over a network) and keep track of who made which changes, then Subversion is also appropriate. This is why Subversion is so often used in software development environments
How it works?
At its core is a repository, which is a central store of data(there can be multiple repositories sitting on the server for that matter). The repository stores information in the form of a filesystem tree—a typical hierarchy of files and directories. Any number of clients connect to the repository, and then read or write to these files. By writing data, a client makes the information available to others; by reading data, the client receives information from others.
So the user specific read/write permissions are always repository specific.
Now the main confusion, what is the difference between trunk, branch and tag?
TRUNK
BRANCHES
Every time you release a major version, it gets a branch created. This allows you to do bug fixes and make a new release without having to release the newest - possibly unfinished or untested - features.
Branch will be a copy of code derived from a certain point in the trunk that is used for applying major changes to the code while preserving the integrity of the code in the trunk. If the major changes work according to plan, they are usually merged back into the trunk.
In general, you would see two branch types:
- Feature Branch: If a particular feature is disruptive enough that you don't want the entire development team to be affected in its early stages, you can create a branch on which to do this work. The idea of this is when you're working on something disruptive (that would hold up or interfere with other people from doing their work), something experimental (that may not even make it in), or possibly just something that takes a long time (and you're afraid if it holding up a 1.2 release when you're ready to branch 1.2 from trunk), you can do it in isolation in branch. Generally you keep it up to date with trunk by merging changes into it all the time, which makes it easier to re-integrate (merge back to trunk) when you're finished.
- Fixes Branch: While development continues on the main trunk, a fixes branch can be created to hold the fixes to the latest released version of the software.
TAGS
Every time you release a version (final release, release candidates (RC), and betas) you make a tag for it. This gives you a point-in-time copy of the code as it was at that state, allowing you to go back and reproduce any bugs if necessary in a past version, or re-release a past version exactly as it was. Branches and tags in SVN are lightweight - on the server, it does not make a full copy of the files, just a marker saying "these files were copied at this revision" that only takes up a few bytes. With this in mind, you should never be concerned about creating a tag for any released code. As I said earlier, tags are often omitted and instead, a changelog or other document clarifies the revision number when a release is made.
A tag is final. Its content should never change. NEVER. Ever. You forgot a line in the release note? Create a new tag. Obsolete or remove the old one.
Examples
A very good example which I got from internet that throws more light on explaining the usages of the above three terms is following -Let's say you start a new project. You start working in "trunk", on what will eventually be released as version 1.0.
- trunk/ - development version, soon to be 1.0
- branches/ - empty
- trunk/ - development version, soon to be 1.1
- branches/1.0 - 1.0.0 release version
- tags/1.0.0 - 1.0.0 release version
- trunk/ - development version, soon to be 1.1
- branches/1.0 - upcoming 1.0.1 release
- tags/1.0.0 - 1.0.0 release version
- trunk/ - development version, soon to be 1.1
- branches/1.0 - upcoming 1.0.2 release
- tags/1.0.0 - 1.0.0 release version
- tags/1.0.1 - 1.0.1 release version
- trunk/ - development version, soon to be 1.2
- branches/1.0 - upcoming 1.0.2 release
- branches/1.1 - upcoming 1.1.0 release
- tags/1.0.0 - 1.0.0 release version
- tags/1.0.1 - 1.0.1 release version
- tags/1.1beta1 - 1.1 beta 1 release version
You can also continue to maintain 1.0 if you'd like, porting bug fixes between all three branches (1.0, 1.1, and trunk). The important takeaway is that for every main version of the software you are maintaining, you have a branch that contains the latest version of code for that version.
Another very important thing for learners to understand is the value of proper commits(check-ins) and commit messages
Commit as often as is useful; rule of thumb is commit whenever you have done sufficient work that it would be a problem having to re-do it if the modifications got lost; sometimes I commit every 15 minutes or so, other times it might be days (yes, sometimes it takes me a day to write 1 line of code)
I wouldn't worry about making "too many" commits/check-ins. It really sucks when you have to rewrite something, and it's nice to be able to rollback in small increments just in case.
So, I would say commit when you complete a functional piece of code, however small.
"if the code isn't checked into source control, it doesn't exist."
Said that, don't use your repository as a backup solution. Don't commit code that doesn't actually work.
Commit messages are very useful and required when you are actually trying to find out how the file/dir/repo has evolved to the current version. And also gives other developers, who might also be working on/using the same file, an idea and perspective about the update in a specific file.
Some good commit message can be following
Changed paragraph separation from indentation to vertical space.
...
Fix: Extra image removed.
Fix: CSS patched to give better results when embedded in javadoc.
Add: A javadoc {@link} tag in the lyx, just to show it's possible.
...
- Moved third party projects to ext folder.
- Added lib folder for binary library files.
...
Fix: Fixed bug #1938.
Add: Implemented change request #39381.
I hope and expect that this text might come in handy for all the beginners who are trying their hands on VCSs.
Comments
Thanks sir