View source for Simple Guide to SVN Client

This is just a simple reference. This is by no means meant to be an [http://svnbook.red-bean.com/ exhaustive reference].

== Basics ==

The SVN/Subversion is a free/open source version control system. It manages files and directories, and the changes made to them over time. It's able to recover previous versions as well as manage changes done to the files "concurrently" by several users.

For each command you can get help by typing <tt>svn help ''command''</tt>.

Further on, ''files'' in the commands refers to both files and directories.

== The Development Cycle ==

The development cycle consist of getting a copy of the version-controlled "project" (done once), updating the copy to the newest state, and committing the local changes.

* '''svn co ''url'' ''[path]'''''

Get a copy of the project/repository stored at given ''url'' (and store it at ''path'').

This step is typically necessary to do only once.

* '''svn up [-r ''rev''] ''[files]'''''

Update this copy to the latest revision (to the revision ''rev'').

This command fetches all changes from the server and updates the local copy of the repository; if the local copy has some local modifications, those are preserved.

If your local changes conflict with changes committed to the repository, you'll get a ''conflict'' on update. See [http://svnbook.red-bean.com/en/1.5/svn.tour.cycle.html#svn.tour.cycle.resolve svn book] for more details on resolving the conflicts.

* '''svn st ''[-u]'' ''[-q]'''''

View the status of the local copy as compared to the version from last update (or, as compared to the current version in repository with ''-u''). The ''-q'' switch stops the SVN client from reporting unversioned files.

The <tt>svn st</tt> command allows user to easily see what all has been changed. Above this, the <tt>svn st -u</tt> command allows user to see what all files will be updated if <tt>svn up</tt> command is run.

* '''svn diff [-r [''rev1'':]''rev2'']'''

The <tt>svn diff</tt> command will show differences between the local copy and the last updated copy - "local edits". The form of this depends on the ''diff-cmd'' setting of the SVN; default is ''diff'' program. This can be changed in the ''~/.subversion/config'' file.

User may also view differences between local copy and the current repository state using <tt>svn diff -r head</tt>.

Another useful option (e.g. when inspecting someone else's changes) is <tt>svn diff -r rev1:rev2</tt>, that shows differences between the 2 revisions, ''rev1'' and ''rev2''.

* '''svn ci ''[files]'''''

The final step is getting your local changes to the repository. The <tt>svn ci</tt> command commits all local changes (in given ''files'') to the SVN repository.

'''Note''': Make sure the files you're about to commit are up to date (using <tt>svn up ''[files]''</tt>), SVN will not allow you to commit your changes if your copy is not updated to the latest revision.

== Managing the Files and Directories ==

* '''svn add ''files'''''

Add given ''files'' (and/or directories) under version control.

* '''svn mv ''from'' ''to'''''

Move within the versioned copy. Typically implemented as <tt>svn rm</tt> and <tt>svn add</tt>, i.e. the change history is not preserved on the file in new position.

* '''svn rm ''files'''''

Remove given ''files'' from the version control. '''Beware''', this typically also removes the files/folders from disk!

== Branching and More Advanced Use ==

For concepts and usage of branching see [http://svnbook.red-bean.com/en/1.5/svn.branchmerge.html the SVN book].

* '''svn cp ''url1'' ''url2'''''

Creates a copy of ''url1'' as ''url2'' in the repository.

* '''svn merge -r ''rev1'':''rev2'' ''srcurl'' [''dir'']'''

Apply changes from revision span ''rev1'':''rev2'' (to ''dir'') from ''srcurl'' repository.

* '''svn switch ''url'''''

Switch this working copy to a different branch.

* '''svn log -v --stop-on-copy [''url'']'''

Show log for the working copy, only up to the 'copy' point - where branch was created.

* '''svn merge -r ''rev1'':''head'' ''branchurl'''''

Run on ''trunk'' working copy - merges all changes from the branch ''branchurl'', where ''rev1'' is the start of the branch - the revision where ''copy'' command occurred.

* '''svn rm ''url'''''

Remove from repository via immediate commit; e.g. for closing of a branch at ''url''.