To Git or to SVN, that is the question

[Gregity]

I've started working on a larger project and I'm wondering which version control system I should use?

I've seen discussions on SVN (Which I've heard of) and GIT (Which I haven't heard of).

I haven't seen a discussion comparing the pros and cons of each and why I should choose one or the other.

Looking for some input before I decide.

Thanks all!

-g

[Rilgamon]

I started myself a while ago using svn for my addons. The choice was easy as most libraries I use for my addons are svn repositories,too and so its easier to keep everything updated

I think for a starter both systems are equaly "easy" and offer the same tools.
But with TortoiseSVN there is a really easy/powerfull helper in a windowsenvironment.

[Tuller]

SVN (with Tortoise) is still more user friendly on Windows than Git. Git offers more control, and nicer hosting options, I think.

[Gregity]

I am definitely Windows-centric so I need a good windows interface for whatever I do.

[Torhal]

There's always SmartGit.

[Phanx]

There's also TortoiseGit, a TortoiseSVN clone for Git.

Personally, I use SVN, and find Git extremely annoying to work with.

1) SVN's workflow seems more logical: there is a single master repository on the server, I check out a local copy, I make changes to my local copy, and then I commit my changes to the central repository. Git's workflow is more complicated, and does not seem logical at all, especially for a single-author project.

2) SVN's revision numbers are directly usable as addon version numbers, and are intrinsically useful when providing support. For instance, if someone reports a problem with "r12" of my addon, but I know that I just released "r16", I immediately know that they are running an out-of-date copy and can tell them to update.

By contrast, Git identifies "revisions" with long hash strings that are useless for version numbering, and do not provide any information on their own. For instance, "e515c869e9ec8c6cbdfe252a5391d69e484c5234" is basically meaningless gibberish. In order to have any idea what it referred to, you would need to go look up a list of commits in your repository log.

3) Most libraries are hosted in SVN repositories, and svn:externals is infinitely easier to work with than either of the "equivalent" features Git offers.

[yj589794]

If your already familiar with a revision control system and it does everything you want it too, then use that one.

If it's a case of looking for a new RCS that supports you needs, then in this case use SVN. The libraries you will be using are already in SVN, so save a lot of pain and use the same RCS.

I personally think Git is brilliant but unless you have a need for a distributed revision control system, with all power and headaches they bring, it's not worth the effort over something that is as capable as SVN (at least for the situation the OP describes).

[Ketho]

I've used both SVN first and Git afterwards, and while I can't give detailed reasoning like Phanx, and myself only having single-author projects, it might depend on what you're more used to. otherwise I'd say start with SVN :|

[Gregity]

Great Info!

Thanks. It sounds like the TortiseSVN is going to be up my alley. Both would be free for me to use for non-profit work like this. SmartGit looked really good also.

-g

[Phanx]

SmartGit (and SmartSVN) are free for non-commercial use, but after 30 days some functionality is disabled. Also, SmartSVN can't handle SVN 1.7 working copies yet. I have both installed on a USB stick for use when I'm not at home, but only because there isn't a portable TortoiseSVN/TortoiseGit.

[Katae]

I use Git whenever possible, but I manage files exclusively via the shell. I hear great things about TortoiseSVN for Windows. TortoiseGit looks promising.

[lokyst]

I'm just setting up Git for the first time and I was wondering, is it possible to do a beta release from WowInterface with Git? I see instructions for creating a beta release under SVN but no such instructions under the Git help.

[Zidomo]

Despite it being "less advanced", like Phanx I find GIT annoying to work with. At least in a workplace enviroment here. Have always preferred SVN.

One Windows option for GIT that hasn't been mentioned yet that I currently use: Git Extensions. 100% free/GPL open source, been around for quite a while, is regularly updated and works from Windows Explorer like TortoiseSVN does. Find it a lot more convenient to use than, say, msysgit. And looks to be more stable than TortoiseGIT (though I haven't tested that).

For SVN, the #1 Windows choice is as others have mentioned: TortoiseSVN (also 100% free/GPL open source).

[p3lim]

Tekkub has hinted about a Windows-native github.com client, until that I am using msysgit with mintty terminal.