Centralized Version Control System (CVCS)

AKA: Centralized Source Control System, Centralized Version Control System.
Context:
- It can manage all versions and variations of files centrally, which simplifies administration and enhances visibility across all project activities.
- It can support teams that require a straightforward setup with minimal learning curve, allowing even less experienced developers to contribute quickly.
- It can face challenges like a single point of failure, where server issues can halt the entire team's operations, and scaling issues as team size and project complexity grow.
- It can be less flexible in handling offline work scenarios compared to distributed systems, as it relies on server connectivity for most operations.
- It can efficiently handle binary files and large assets which are difficult in distributed systems due to the need to clone entire repositories.
Example(s):
Counter-Example(s):
- Git System,
- Mercurial System,
- GitHub.
See: Distributed Version Control System, Source Code Management System, Server, Repository, Git, Software Configuration Management System.

References

(ChatGPT-OpenAI, 2024) ⇒ Prompt: Summarize the concept Centralized Version Control System (CVCS) in 1- 2 paragraphs. ChatGPT (model:gpt-4-turbo-preview). Retrieved: 2024-04-14.
- QUOTE: A Centralized Version Control System (CVCS) is a system that facilitates software development teams in managing changes to their codebase by storing all versions of project files on a central server. In this model, each developer works on their own copy of the files, but they must synchronize their work with the central repository. This synchronization process involves "checking out" files from the central server to make changes locally and then "committing" these changes back to the server, so that they become part of the main project base.
  The centralized nature of CVCS simplifies the version management process by providing a single source of truth for the project’s codebase, which makes it easier to track changes, manage versions, and facilitate collaboration among team members. However, it also introduces points of failure and dependency on the central server's availability. If the server goes down, developers cannot collaborate or access the project's history until it is restored. Despite its drawbacks, CVCSs, like Subversion (SVN), have been popular in the past but are increasingly being supplanted by Distributed Version Control Systems (DVCS), such as Git, which offer more flexibility and robustness for managing versions of a project.

(GitLab, 2024) ⇒ https://about.gitlab.com/topics/version-control/what-is-centralized-version-control-system/ Retrieved: 2024-04-14.
- QUOTE: In a centralized version control system (CVCS), also known as a centralized source control or revision control system, a server acts as the main centralized repository which stores every version of code. Using centralized source control, every user commits directly to the main branch, so this type of version control often works well for small teams, because team members have the ability to communicate quickly so that no two developers want to work on the same piece of code simultaneously. Strong communication and collaboration are important to ensure a centralized workflow is successful.
  Centralized version control systems — such as CVS, Perforce, and SVN — require users to pull the latest version from the server to download a local copy on their machine. Contributors then push commits to the server and resolve any merge conflicts on the main repository.
  As a client-server model, a centralized workflow enables file locking so that any piece of the code that's currently checked out will not be accessible to others, ensuring that only one developer can contribute to the code at a time. Team members use branches to contribute to the central repository, and the server will unlock files after merges.

(Gupta, 2023) ⇒ Aashi Gupta (2023). "A Comprehensive Guide to Version Control Systems". In: SearchMyExpert.
- QUOTE: Diverse Types of Version Control Systems:
  - Local Version Control Systems: This is a rudimentary form where a database records all file changes. Tools like RCS fall under this category. It maintains patch sets, helping recreate file versions at any given time.
  - Centralized Version Control Systems (CVCS): In CVCS, there’s a single global repository. To reflect changes, users need to commit, and for others to see these changes, they need to update. This system offers insights into what every team member is doing, fostering collaboration. However, its centralized nature can sometimes be its Achilles heel, especially if there are backup lapses.
  - Distributed Version Control Systems (DVCS): DVCS operates with multiple repositories. Each user maintains their personal repository and working copy. For changes to be visible to others, they need to be committed, pushed, pulled, and then updated. Git and Mercurial are popular DVCS tools. They address the single point of failure issue inherent in CVCS.