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SCM (Source Control Management), also known as the Version Control System (VCS — Version Control System), — is software or a set of tools that help developers monitor and control changes in the source code of a project. SCM allows you to save all versions of files, track who made the changes and when, monitor different versions of the project and coordinate work between team members.
Why do you need SCM?
The main goal of SCM — is to provide a safe and reliable environment for working with source code and other project files. Using SCM allows:
Version control systems (SCMs) provide several key features for efficient software development management. First, they allow you to track all changes in the code, keeping each of them as a separate version. This creates the possibility of returning to previous versions if necessary, which is important for correcting errors and maintaining the stability of the project.
Second, SCM simplifies collaboration between developers by allowing them to work on different pieces of code within the same project at the same time. This is achieved thanks to the possibility of parallel work on different branches and further unification of changes, which helps to reduce conflicts and simplify the integration process.
In addition, SCM supports project development by providing the ability to create branches for experimentation with new features or improvements without the risk of breaking the underlying code. After successful testing, these branches can be combined with the main version, which allows you to introduce innovations without affecting the stability of the main code base.
Finally, SCM ensures code security by offering tools for access control. This ensures that only authorized users can make changes, which helps protect the code from unauthorized changes and maintains the integrity of the project.
Version management systems arose from the need to organize and control the software development process. In the early years, developers manually created backup copies of their projects, which was a difficult and dangerous thing to do. In the 1970s, the first centralized version control systems appeared, such as SCCS (Source Code Control System), which was created at Bell Labs in 1972, and RCS (Revision Control System), developed in 1982.
These systems provided version control, but were limited in their ability to work as a team. In the 2000s, distributed version control systems such as Git appeared, which gave developers greater flexibility and the ability to collaborate effectively on large projects.
Popular SCM systems and services
- Git <TAG1> is the most common distributed version control system widely used for projects of various scales. Due to its flexibility and efficiency, Git has become the standard in the software world. It is supported by popular platforms such as GitHub, GitLab i Bitbucket.
- Subversion (SVN) <TAG1> is a centralized version control system that was one of the most popular before Git. SVN is still used in many companies, especially those that require centralized control over the code.
- Mercurial <TAG1> is a distributed version control system similar to Git, but with an emphasis on simplicity and stability. Mercurial has often been used in projects that require a simple alternative to Git.
- Perforce <TAG1> is an enterprise version management system often used in game and software development, where high performance and the ability to work with large files are important.
- Azure DevOps (TFVC) microsoft's — platform, which includes the centralized version control system TFVC (Team Foundation Version Control), which integrates with other development tools such as CI/CD, project planning and test automation.
SCM systems are critical to the modern software development process, providing code preservation and tracking, support collaboration, and improve the quality of the final product.
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