Why do you need a version control system(VCS)?

VCS (Version Control Software) is also referred to as SCM (Source Code Management) tools or RCS (Revision Control System).

The version control system is a way to keep a track of the changes in the code so that if something goes wrong, we can make comparisons in an older version of the code and revert to any older version that we want. Real-life projects usually have multiple developers working in concurrent. So a version control system is needed to ensure there are no code conflicts between the developers. It is very much required where multiple developers are continuously working on the source code. This can decrease human failures and unintended consequences to a great extent.

The main difference between version control systems is whether they are server-based or peer-to-peer. Either they have a centralized repository where code is checked out and back in with modification or a setup where the code is regularly updated from peer sources, a more decentralized network, to keep code current. VCS is an essential part of the every-day of the modern software team's professional works.

There are a lot of ideas regarding which version control system is the best, and can force programmers and project management teams into a fierce debate. When selecting the right version control system for your project, you should think that some of the pros of one package you will come across are subjective, meaning the opinion of the programmer, and additional factors, such as speed and IDE plug-in capabilities, overshadow the raw numbers.

Beyond that, you will also need to consider speed, functionality, and the learning curve associated with the project. To choose which one is right for your project and team, let’s take a study at some of the major systems available.

1. Git

2. Apache Subversion (SVN)

3. Mercurial

4. Concurrent Versions System (CVS)

5. AWS CodeCommit

6. Microsoft Team Foundation Server

7. Bazaar

Git

Git is a free and open-source distributed version control system that you can work in both small and large projects efficiently and speedily. First developed by the creator of Linux kernel, Linus Torvalds. It is different from other version control systems(VCS) on the list by the fact that it does not use any server-client system but rather uses a distributed system as all system directory acts as a full-fledged repository with the entire history of code changes. Some of its top specialities include cheap local branching, multiple workflows, convenient staging areas, pluggable merge strategies, toolkit-based design, periodic explicit object packing, and cryptographic authentication of history.

Apache Subversion (SVN)

Subversion, also known as SVN, is another open-source version control system, which was founded by CollabNet a couple of decades ago. This is a free platform under the Apache License to help in tracking changes, recovering data, and recording the history of changes. Top features of SVN include inventory management, history tracking, security management, cheap local branching, user access controls, and workflow management. A critique of SVN includes slower comparative speed and the shortage of distributed revision control. Distributed revision control handles a peer-to-peer model rather than handling a centralized server to save code updates. While a peer-to-peer model would run better for world-wide, open-source applications, it may not be ideal in different conditions. The drawback to a dedicated server approach is that when the server is not working, clients can't access the code.

Mercurial

Mercurial is a free and distributed source control management tool which is written in python and intended for software developers. The operating systems that it supports are Windows, Unix, and macOS. It is an implementation and data structure designed to fast and perfectly suitable for the large(any size) and high-performance projects like as OpenJDK or NetBeans. Developers adore Mercurial for its backup system, project tracking and management, search functionality, data migration tool, and data import and export. It also additional features workflow management, history tracking, security management, access controls and more. There aren’t quite many concepts to study, and the functions are less complicated, and more comparable to other CVS systems. Mercurial also comes alongside a web-interface and many extensive documentation that can support you to understand it better. Some of the downsides to Mercurial include that it doesn’t support for two parents to be merged and unlike Git, it handles an extension system rather than being scriptable.

Concurrent Versions System (CVS)

Released initially in 1986, CVS is the oldest open-source version control system & uses a server-client architecture, where a server holds the main copy of the software with all the revision history & client connects to the server to check out code for making changes, then check-in code to commit the changes. It can handle projects with multiple branches so that teams can merge their code changes and contribute unique features to the project. CVS has been the tool of choice for a long time and is a well-known tool among both commercial and open source developers. It is the most mature version control software.

AWS CodeCommit

AWS CodeCommit is a fully-managed and highly scalable source control service offered by Amazon Web Services. Hosting scalable and private Git-based repositories, it gives a secure storage solution for your binary files, documents, and source code in the cloud. It seamlessly connects with additional products from Amazon Web Services and hosts the code in secured AWS environments. Hence, it is a better fit for the existing users of AWS. AWS integration also gives access to several useful plugins from AWS partners, which helps in software development. The platform lets you commit, branch, and merge your code on a single interface, thereby letting you control your projects quickly. This way, you can accelerate your development cycle.

Microsoft Team Foundation Server

Developed by Microsoft, Team Foundation Server is an integrated server suite of developer tools designed for professional teams to share code, track and monitor workflows, and ship software. TFS is based on client-server, distributed repository model and has a proprietary license. Its version control solution gives unlimited private repositories for storage and collaboration on the code. It could keep track of work items to find defects, requirements, and scenarios in a project. It gives Windows, cross-platform OS support through Visual Studio Team Services(VSTS). It comes with some unique features like Team Build, data collection and reporting, Team Foundation Shared Services, Team Project Portal, etc. The tool works on any language such as C#, Java, JavaScript and Python and HTML5. This supports you to speed up your work further as you can complete your tasks on a single platform. Moreover, Team Foundation Server gives TFS Express for a small team of five members to start with for free.

Bazaar

Bazaar, also known as GNU Bazaar, is another free version control system that is sponsored by Canonical. It allows cross-platform OS support and is written in Python 2, Pyrex and C. Top feature of Bazaar is that you can access a very detailed level of control in its setup. Bazaar has unique features that it can be deployed either with a central code base or as a distributed codebase. For example, i.e. clients act as their own repository & it has a central server with the main code also, but we can use any or both methods for version control.