VersionControlSystem

Options for the replacement of CVS

• CVS has a limited authentication model that means we need to fudge permissions every time a file is updated.

• Symlinks are not supported

• CVS is centralised which means that people need to be logged into the cvs pserver in order to use it
  • A decentralised repository would reduce the need for branching when commiting medium sized changesets.
  • A decentralised repository would mean that people don't have to be logged in to change the code, although they would not then benefit from the public_html facility.

Features Required

• Symlinks
• Good per-module authentication
• Commit-hooks
• File moves
• Faster than cvs
• Easy revert to previous version

Optional Features

• Directory moves
• Web interface
• Read / Write access control
• Decentralised repository
• CVS-link interface

bzr

Bazzar-ng 0.11 will be released with etch

Advantages

• Has native windows support
• Support for directory renames
• Has mode that mimicks cvs
• Fairly extensive documentation
• Lots of plugins
• Uncommit
• Stores executable bit
• Also works as a centralised repository

Disadvantages

• Not quite so fast, but newer versions are better
• Already on version 0.14 - etch already out of date
• Many features are currently only implemented through plugins

git

Git 0.14 will be released with etch

Advantages

• Fast
• Strong support for non-linear development (branching).
• Can use a cvs client for cvs supported operations

Disadvantages

• Renames are guessed based on the contents of a file as opposed to svn & bzr which use unique-ids
• Limited documentation - but improving rapidly (although only for newer versions)
• Rapidly moving target - Currently on 0.15 which is very different from 0.14
• Lots of commands and scripts

svn

Advantages

• Stable
• Very popular replacement for cvs
• Stores executible bit

Disadvantages

• Centralised repository
• Not as many protocal options
• Cannot do a merge between files that have been renamed
• Does not do merge tracking between branches - can lead to odd behaviour if a branch is merged more than once