Version control systems are programs that record changes in filesystems, source code, or software. They are integral to agile software development. Depending on the design, you can categorize them into two types---centralized and distributed.
Thankfully, we can choose from several robust version control systems for Linux. This guide outlines some of the best such tools for starting software developers and DevOps professionals.
1. Git
Git is a distributed version control system developed initially by Linus Torvalds, the man behind Linux itself. It can track changes in any type of file and has a tiny memory footprint. Combine this with its robust feature set, and you get a full-fledged version control mechanism capable of managing any project.
It is being used by industry leaders, including Google, Facebook, and Microsoft, due to its intuitive workflow and reliable performance. You can use git directly from your terminal or choose from several GUI clients.
Download: Git (Free)
2. Mercurial
Mercurial is a free source control management tool that supports all major operating systems, including Linux and Mac. It's a distributed versioning tool and can manage projects of any size at ease. Its easy-to-use and intuitive interface make source revisioning simpler for starting software developers.
Most Mercurial actions are fast and have support for a plethora of workflows. Moreover, developers can easily extend the in-built functionality of this tool via extensions. Overall, it's an excellent choice for teams that are looking for small, safe, and easy to use version control systems for Linux.
Download: Mercurial (Free)
3. Apache Subversion
Apache Subversion is a free and open-source version control system that allows developers to manage current and historical versions of essential files. It can track changes in source code, web pages, and documentation for extensive projects. Subversion is a centralized system with many robust features and can be used for managing both enterprise products and personal projects.
Developers can choose from a variety of programming languages for interacting with the Subversion APIs. It is written in C but offers API support for Java, Python, Perl, and Ruby. Moreover, the cost of Subversion operations depends on the size of the changes resulting from that operation, not on the overall project size.
Download: Apache Subversion (Free)
4. GNU Bazaar
GNU Bazaar is a distributed version control system backed by Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu. It is used by thousands of modern-day projects, including Ubuntu, Debian, the Linux Foundation, and MySQL. GNU Bazaar is truly cross-platform and runs on all variants of Linux, Windows, and OS X.
Some of GNU Bazaar's best features include its high storage efficiency, support for offline mode, and external plugins. It also supports a multitude of development workflows. Moreover, this application's intuitive GUI interface helps developer master agile development methods in no time.
Download: GNU Bazaar (Free)
5. CVS
CVS or Concurrent Versions System is one of the oldest version control systems out there. It has matured over time and makes project management intuitive and straightforward. A large number of open-source projects are using CVS to maintain their source code and for managing revisions.
CVS employs a client-server model for managing change records and uses delta compression for efficiently compressing version differences. Moreover, it stores all versions of a file into a single file in a way that only the differences between the revisions are saved. It saves a large amount of disk space in larger projects.
Download: CVS (Free)
6. Plastic SCM
Plastic SCM is a cross-platform, distributed version control software aimed at commercial applications. It offers a command-line tool, an intuitive GUI interface, and integration support for many popular IDEs. One key feature of Plastic SCM is its ability to function as a centralized version control system.
It can handle large repos and performs reasonably well with huge files. Developers can easily visualize different branches and lock files to prevent merging. You can also have a preview of your merge operations before you push the changes. Overall, It's an excellent choice for companies that need a powerful, performant, and flexible version control mechanism.
Download: Plastic SCM (Cloud) | Plastic SCM (Enterprise)
7. Darcs
Darcs is a small but powerful version control system built with Haskell. It is a distributed system and is entirely cross-platform. Some of its notable features include its robust branching methods, support for offline mode, parallel development, and patches.
Darcs is also one of the first revision control systems that opened up the full command set to all users. It helps to remove the barrier between the committers and non-committers and helps increasing productivity. The user interface of this VCS is also very interactive, helping new users learn how to do things fast.
Download: Darcs (Free)
8. Fossil
Fossil is a cross-platform version control system that offers features for distributed version control, bug tracking, wiki management, and blogging. It comes with a web-based interface that makes issue tracking simpler for beginning users. Moreover, Fossil allows developers to access source code via built-in HTTP servers or web CGIs. It works perfectly fine from behind firewalls and proxies.
So if you are looking for a simple yet effective revision control system for your next personal project, don't hesitate to give Fossil a try. It is also an excellent choice for frequent bloggers and web activists.
Download: Fossil (Free)
9. Monotone
Monotone is a lightweight distributed version control system for Linux. Its single-file transactional store makes project management efficient for smaller teams and provides excellent peer-to-peer synchronization support. The control operations are entirely disconnected, preventing the unwanted merging of crucial files.
Monotone leverages various cryptographic functions for distinguishing changes in files. It also offers support for integrated code review and testing. Many open-source programs work flawlessly with Monotone. So, developers have the option to choose from multiple interfaces, frontends, and tools.
Download: Monotone (Free)
10. RabbitVCS
RabbitVCS is a GUI frontend for popular version control systems like Git and Subversion. It integrates with popular Linux file managers like Nautilus, Thunar, and Nemo to provide access to the file context menus. RabbitVCS makes it super simple to view the commit history, changelog, and annotations.
Hence, it's a viable solution for people who are looking for simple revision control for their system files.
Download: RabbitVCS (Free)
Best Version Control Systems for Linux
Since revision control is integral to the long-term success of a project, choosing the right SCM tool is a must. Linux supports every major version control system out there. This gives us the flexibility to choose from many different solutions.
The above programs should helps you to choose the best version control system for your project.
