Revision control, also known as version control and source control (and an aspect of software configuration management), is the management of changes to documents, computer programs, large web sites, and other collections of information. 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 change the same files.
Version control systems (VCS) most commonly run as stand-alone applications, but revision control is also embedded in various types of software such as word processors and spreadsheets, e.g., Google Docs and Sheets and in various content management systems, e.g., Wikipedia's Page history. Revision control allows for the ability to revert 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 spam.
Software tools for revision control are essential for the organization of multi-developer projects.
Read more about Revision Control: Overview, Specialized Strategies, Source-management Models, Distributed Revision Control, Integration, Common Vocabulary
Other articles related to "control, revision control, revision":
... In configuration management (CM), one has to control (among other things) changes made to software and documentation ... This is called revision control, which manages multiple versions of the same unit of information ... Although revision control is important to CM, it is not equal to it ...
... or profiling List of performance analysis tool Refactoring Browser Revision control List of revision control software, Comparison of revision control ...
... usage include Baseline An approved revision of a document or source file from which subsequent changes can be made ... Branch A set of files under version control may be branched or forked at a point in time so that, from that time forward, two copies of those files may develop at different speeds or in different ways ... delta) represents a specific modification to a document under version control ...
... Since the 1990s, many new revision control systems have been developed and become popular that are designed for managing projects with a large number of files and that offer advanced functionality ...
Famous quotes containing the word control:
“Not being able to control events, I control myself; and I adapt myself to them, if they do not adapt themselves to me.”
—Michel de Montaigne (15331592)