It rarely happens that only one developer works on the code, but even in this case, nobody writes perfect code from start to finish with no changes applied. Under that logic, we can say that developers need a tool to monitor the changes applied to the source code and see who and when made a certain change. In this blog, we are going to discuss Source Сode Management: An Overview of Tools and Practices
Source code management software lets developers manage the code and ensure that nothing is lost and that each implemented change is trackable. Companies like SoftTeco offer robust SCM solutions that help manage and streamline the development process. Considering the amount of code on a single project, having such a tool at one’s disposal is an absolute must.
Even though source code management should be a common practice in any development team, we felt we could still address the topic and remind readers about the importance of using the right SCM tool. In this article, we also highlighted several best practices for source code management that might be useful for both junior and experienced developers.
Source Code Management: An Overview and Main Features
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As we already said, source code management is a software tool that helps developers manage the code, implement and monitor changes, track them down, see the person responsible for the changes and do rollbacks.
Why is SCM so important? Imagine a project with a few developers who work on shared code. In this case, it is vital to know who makes specific changes because these changes may be conflicting, result in errors, or simply require a rollback.
Source code management helps developers save their work and implement any changes without affecting the state of the source code. This, in turn, minimizes risks and increases work efficiency.
It is important to mention that there are two types of SCM: centralized and distributed. A centralized version control implies having a single repository in one place and several clients that have access to it. A distributed version control means every client has a copy of a general repository (i.e. Git is a distributed SCM).
Here are some of the most common and important features of a good SCM tool:
- Secure authentication for accessing the changes and commits
- Revision history
- Atomic commits
- Versioning
The main SCM features revolve around safely restoring code versions and tracking change history. Now, let’s examine the actual benefits of source code management in more detail.
Here are several reasons why every developer needs to use SCM while working on a project:
- An option to restore a file if needed,
- Synchronization: new code and the one from the repository can be synched,
- Short-term and long-term undo: meaning, a developer can roll back either to the last known version or the one that was created a few months or even a year ago,
- An option to track all the changes and see who is responsible for each,
- Branching: an option to create a branch of source code and make changes to it,
- Merging: an option to merge the branch of the abovementioned branch (with applied changes) with the source code.
SCM also offers the option to use the staging area, which can be described as a preview of your commit. In the staging area, you can review the changes, edit them, or remove them if necessary. In this way, you are fine-tuning the future commitment and getting a better idea of what it will be like.
In addition, the history log (provided it’s kept clear) can serve as a source of useful insights into the project for both the developers and the end-users or the client. Finally, one of the biggest advantages of SCM is that it significantly increases the accuracy and speed of the development process and allows developers to find and fix any errors quickly.
How to Master Source Code Management: Best Practices
Even though code management is not very difficult in and of itself, if you invest enough time and effort into it, there are still some good practices to follow to ensure that you get the most out of your SCM tool.
Do not hesitate to commit a lot
Commits are quick and cheap to make, yet, they can save you lots of time when looking for the needed version or searching for a bug. The more frequently you commit, the higher the chances are that you will be able to revert your work and roll back. As well, one can also combine a group of small commits into one single commit so that the log is clarified.
Do not forget to make notes
When committing code to a repository, you are required to make a log entry explaining the change. While some developers may not take this seriously, log entries are actually important. They serve as a record of the project’s development and help other developers understand why the change was made and what exactly was included in it.
Use branches
We already mentioned that two different changes for two different features may cause certain conflicts. This is where the option of branching steps in and saves development time and resources.
Branching is the creation of separate code branches. This allows developers to work on multiple features simultaneously, merge them into one master branch, and add the changes to the source code.
Watch the quality of commits
The golden rule of SCM is committing a complete piece of work. In case you work on a huge feature, simply divide it into logical parts and commit the completed pieces.
Another thing to remember is to test the commits. A commit should be completed and function as intended instead of being a “half-baked” product. By making high-quality commits, you contribute to the efficiency and speed of the whole working process and make it easier for other developers.
The most popular Source Code Management tools
You must have heard of some of the biggest SCM tools, like Git, but there are other options worth noticing.
Git
Git is probably the most well-known version control tool. It is a distributed and open-source system with over 40 million users worldwide. This SCM is suitable for both small and large projects and has a cryptographic authentication of commit history.
The benefits that Git offers to the developers include:
- Very fast performance
- Suitable for different platforms
- Clear tracking of changes
- Offers many GUI tools as well as tools integrated in IDE and code editors
- Has git bash
Apache Subversion
This version control tool is known by the SVN abbreviation and is distributed under the Apache license. SVN is a client-server model with versioned directories, symbolic links, and free-form versioned metadata.
The biggest pros are:
- Availability of efficient GUI tools (i.e. TortoiseSVN)
- Support of empty directories
- Good integration with Windows
- Easy to set up and manage
CVS
CVS is another client-server version control system that is among the most popular SCM tools. Like other SCM tools, it can keep a history of changes, allow several developers to work on one project in parallel, and maintain different project branches. Please note that this is the oldest version of the of the control system out there. While it remains popular, it makes sense to look at the more recent options.
The pros of the CVS are:
- Support for many platforms
- Big community (that provides lots of support)
- Very suitable for collaborative work
- Enables powerful scripting
These are the top three SCM tools used most by the developers’ community. However, there is also Mercurial, AWS CodeCommit, Beanstalk and others—feel free to try and choose the one that is most suitable for your team and project.
Summing up
Code management is an essential part of any team’s development process. It saves time and resources, helps every team member get a clear vision of a project, and allows them to avoid major issues in the future.
Do you have any ideas or tips about version control? Share in the comments – we’d love to hear your opinion.
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