The use of software platforms to facilitate teamwork is essential for our engineers. Without these tools, the amount of work they have to complete would increase significantly, making it difficult to meet software delivery deadlines. This could have a detrimental effect on our business, so the solution is to use version control.
Just what is the meaning of “version control?”
A Version Control System (VCS) is a programme designed to help software development teams manage and track changes made to their code. For example, if an organization has 20 developers working on a large software project, a VCS allows them to monitor modifications made to the same Java project on a daily basis.
Without a system of version control, tracking modifications and their timestamps would be extremely difficult. In addition, it would be challenging to undo changes, integrate modifications from multiple developers or check out code without risk of another engineer overwriting a developer’s ongoing work.
It is clear that without the use of version control systems, the current state of software development would be severely impaired. Version control systems are invaluable tools for software engineers, as they greatly improve the efficiency of their work regardless of the programming language being used, be it JavaScript, Ruby, Python, .NET, or even the creation of an internal customer relationship management system.
So, let’s look at the many version control options your engineers have.
Git
Git is undoubtedly the most widely used version control system in the present day. Its extensive range of features, dependable workflow and compatibility with a variety of third-party systems make it an ideal choice for developers.
Git’s flexibility to move between different operating systems and repository systems is one of its many benefits. You can choose to use a repository stored on your computer, on your network, or on a server hosted by a third-party provider (e.g., GitHub). Some of Git’s unique features include:
- Assistance for non-linear growth
- Is compatible with common Internet protocols including HTTP, FTP, and SSH
- Flexible enough to handle both big and little tasks
- Accepts forks
- To put it simply, it’s quick and lightweight.
- History of changes may be seen
- Concerns monitoring
- Notifications by email
- Tools for a Seamless Merge
- Kit-based design
- Repetitive explicit packaging of objects
- Until it is removed, trash piles up.
- Alternative graphical user interface tools (such as GitKraken)
Git is an intuitive command-line tool, making it easy for engineers to become familiar with it quickly. Regardless of the size of the organisation or the number of engineers utilising Git, it is free to use, making it a great choice for businesses.
Subversion from the Apache Software Foundation (aka svn)
Apache Subversion is an on-premises version control system that allows users to monitor all changes made to a project from its inception. SVN provides a range of beneficial features that are sure to be attractive to programmers.
- Resolution of Conflict
- Fast reversals
- Monitoring of project-level revisions and regressions
- Intuitively keep tabs on and handle file revisions
- Compatibility with external programmes
- Significant body of evidence
- Participates in the DevOps toolchain
- Excellent stability
- Fast and simple server management
- An effective repository search engine
- Alternative graphical user interface tools (such as Tortoise SVN)
SVN is an established version control system that is still popular today, despite being one of the more dated options. Whilst some organisations may not be comfortable with legacy systems, SVN can still be effectively implemented through GitHub’s integration via the HTTPS protocol, allowing for increased collaboration between in-house and outsourced teams.
With Apache Subversion, the number of developers on your team doesn’t have to affect your budget since it is free and open source.
Mercurial
Mercurial is a free, cross-platform, decentralised, and user-friendly open-source version control system. Plugins for Mercurial must be written in Python or a compatible language, which may not be suitable for certain organisations.
Mercurial has the following features:
- Superior in performance and scalability
- The ability to fork and merge into more complex structures
- In a completely decentralised setting
- Easily transportable and not very heavy
- Learning it won’t take long
- Command-line interface that’s easy to use
- To allow for the use of a graphical user interface (such as Sourcetree)
- Obtainable Market Backing
The notion that history is “permanent and sacred” is at the heart of the Mercurial worldview. Consequently, Mercurial has a rollback command which allows you to reverse the most recent pull or commit without disrupting the history. In comparison to Git, which provides access to the full project history, this is not possible. Therefore, Mercurial may be the perfect version control system for you if you hold your project’s past in high regard.
Essential Helix Core Reinforcement
Helix Core version control is the only option that requires payment. However, it may be the perfect choice for businesses that create large-scale projects.
However, Git and other technologies are capable of managing large-scale projects. In fact, Git is the system used to develop the Linux kernel. By purchasing a licence, you can gain access to Helix Core and enterprise-level support, which provides a number of benefits, such as:
- Version control database and centralised file storage
- There is full support for any and all file formats and sizes.
- One and only truth source
- Modular assistance for branching
- Compatible with DevOps
- Integral version-comparison utilities
- Fully compatible with Microsoft’s Visual Studio (via a plugin)
Helix Core’s scalability and capacity to support large teams of engineers, vast amounts of data and a high number of commits make it an attractive asset for businesses looking to expand. It is already being used by nine of the world’s top semiconductor companies and 19 of the leading AAA game development studios, demonstrating its efficacy. Therefore, Helix Core may be the ideal choice for your business if you are planning for rapid growth.
The Helix Core trial is free, but once it ends, you’ll need to talk to a Perforce salesperson about finding a plan that works for your business.
Conclusion
There are multiple version-management tools available, but if you select one from this list, you can be sure you have made the right decision. It is important to carry out research before settling on the system, as making changes afterwards may be tricky.
