Digital Artifact Version Control System (VCS) Framework
A Digital Artifact Version Control System (VCS) Framework is a software framework that can be used to create version control systems for version control tasks (manages digital assets and their version history supporting change tracking and collaboration in a controlled and efficient manner).
- AKA: Source Control System, Revision Control System, Version Management System, Source Code Management System.
- Context:
- It can (typically) track Change History through version tracking.
- It can (typically) manage Digital Asset with version control mechanisms.
- It can (typically) maintain Version State through state tracking.
- It can (typically) enable Team Collaboration through change sharing.
- It can (typically) support Concurrent Development through branch management.
- ...
- It can (often) be based on a Version Control Framework.
- It can (often) manage Codebase Repository with software commit records.
- It can (often) handle Software Development Branches simultaneously.
- It can (often) track Documentation with document versionings.
- It can (often) manage Configuration File with config versionings.
- It can (often) control Binary Asset with binary versionings.
- It can (often) resolve Merge Conflicts through conflict resolution.
- It can (often) support Code Review Process through review workflows.
- ...
- It can range from being a Simple Version Manager to being an Enterprise Version Control System, depending on its deployment scope.
- It can range from being a Local Version Control System to being a Distributed Version Control System, depending on its architecture type.
- It can range from being a Centralized Version Control System to being a Distributed Version Control System, depending on its deployment model.
- ...
- It can integrate with Development Environment for development workflow.
- It can connect to CI/CD Pipeline for continuous integration.
- It can support Issue Tracking System for change management.
- It can enhance DevOps Practices through automation integration.
- ...
- Examples:
- Modern Specialized Version Control Systems (2020s-Present), such as:
- AI Development VCSs, such as:
- Data Science VCSs, such as:
- Large File VCSs, such as:
- Modern General Version Control Systems (2010s-2020), such as:
- Distributed VCSs, such as:
- Cloud VCSs, such as:
- Hybrid VCSs, such as:
- Traditional Version Control Systems (1990s-2000s), such as:
- Centralized VCSs, such as:
- Enterprise VCSs, such as:
- Early Version Control Systems (Pre-1990s), such as:
- Local VCSs, such as:
- Mainframe VCSs, such as:
- ...
- Modern Specialized Version Control Systems (2020s-Present), such as:
- Counter-Examples:
- File Backup System, which lacks version tracking capability.
- Document Management System, which lacks change tracking granularity.
- File Sharing System, which lacks version control mechanisms.
- Code Storage System, which lacks revision tracking.
- Content Management System, which lacks version control workflows.
- Cloud Storage Service, which lacks change management capability.
- Database Management System, which lacks version control features.
- See: Version Control Framework, Software Configuration Management, Change Management System, Collaboration Platform, Development Tool, Specification (Technical Standard), Branching (Version Control), Software Repository, Software Development, Collaborative Editing System, Merge Conflict, Git Branching.
References
2024a
- (Wikipedia, 2024) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Version_control Retrieved:2024-4-14.
- In software engineering, version control (also known as revision control, source control, or source code management) is a class of systems responsible for managing changes to computer programs, documents, large web sites, or other collections of information. Version control is a component of software configuration management.[1]
Changes are usually identified by a number or letter code, termed the "revision number", "revision level", or simply "revision". For example, an initial set of files is "revision 1". When the first change is made, the resulting set is "revision 2", and so on. Each revision is associated with a timestamp and the person making the change. Revisions can be compared, restored, and, with some types of files, merged.
The need for a logical way to organize and control revisions has existed for almost as long as writing has existed, but revision control became much more important, and complicated, when the era of computing began. The numbering of book editions and of specification revisions are examples that date back to the print-only era. Today, the most capable (as well as complex) revision control systems are those used in software development, where a team of people may concurrently make changes to the same files.
Version control systems are most commonly run as stand-alone applications, but revision control is also embedded in various types of software, such as word processors and spreadsheets, collaborative web docs, and content management systems, e.g., Wikipedia's page history. Revision control enables reverting a document to a previous revision, which is critical for allowing editors to track each other's edits, correct mistakes, and defend against vandalism and spamming in wikis.
- In software engineering, version control (also known as revision control, source control, or source code management) is a class of systems responsible for managing changes to computer programs, documents, large web sites, or other collections of information. Version control is a component of software configuration management.[1]
- ↑ O'Sullivan, Bryan (2009). Mercurial: the Definitive Guide. Sebastopol: O'Reilly Media, Inc. ISBN 978-0-596-55547-4. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
2024b
- (ChatGPT-OpenAI, 2024) ⇒ Prompt: Summarize the concept Version Control System (VCS) in 1- 2 paragraphs. ChatGPT (model:gpt-4-turbo-preview). Retrieved: 2024-04-14.
- QUOTE: A Version Control System (VCS) is a fundamental tool in software development and project management that enables multiple individuals to work on a project simultaneously without obstructing each other's progress. It allows for the tracking and management of changes to documents, computer programs, large web sites, and other collections of information. At its core, a VCS facilitates the recording of changes made to files over time so that specific versions can be recalled later if needed. This is crucial for understanding the evolution of a project, pinpointing when and why errors occurred, and collaborating efficiently in teams.
There are two main types of version control systems: centralized and distributed. In a centralized version control system, there is a single central repository where all the file versions are stored, and team members synchronize their files with this central repository. This model requires an always-on network connection to collaborate. On the other hand, distributed version control systems (DVCS) allow each user to have a full copy of the entire repository, including its history, thus enabling work even when offline and providing an extra layer of backup. Popular examples of version control software include Git, Subversion, and Mercurial. These tools have become indispensable in modern software development practices, enabling efficient collaboration, better tracking of project history, and significantly reducing the risk of conflicts between concurrent work efforts.
- QUOTE: A Version Control System (VCS) is a fundamental tool in software development and project management that enables multiple individuals to work on a project simultaneously without obstructing each other's progress. It allows for the tracking and management of changes to documents, computer programs, large web sites, and other collections of information. At its core, a VCS facilitates the recording of changes made to files over time so that specific versions can be recalled later if needed. This is crucial for understanding the evolution of a project, pinpointing when and why errors occurred, and collaborating efficiently in teams.
2024c
- (GitLab, 2024) ⇒ https://about.gitlab.com/topics/version-control/ Retrieved: 2024-04-14.
- QUOTE: Version control - also known as source control or revision control - is an important software development practice for tracking and managing changes made to code and other files. It is closely related to source code management.