Best Version Control Software
Version control software, also known as revision control or source control systems, is used to track changes to software development projects, and allow team members to change and collaborate on the same files. Version control software allows developers to work simultaneously on code and isolate their own work through what are known as branches. Branches keep code changes protected from the changes in other branches, but they can be merged together if and when the developer is ready. Version control systems allow developers to automatically track their work, see a history of all changes, and revert to previous versions of a project when needed. All code changes and branches are kept in a repository (often referred to as the “repo").
Version control systems are used by software development teams to streamline the development process, manage code for multiple projects, and maintain a history of code changes. When choosing a version control software, users often need a version control hosting solution to host their master repository where developers commit their code changes. Developers often use version control clients to manage the functionality of their version control systems through a graphical user interface (GUI). Version control systems integrate with a variety of software development tools, including IDE, build automation software, and PaaS providers.
To qualify for inclusion in the Version Control Software category, a product must:
Best Version Control Software At A Glance
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- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
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An enterprise-grade server for teams to share code, track work, and ship software — for any language, all in a single package. It’s the perfect complement to your IDE.
- Software Engineer
- Senior Software Engineer
- Information Technology and Services
- Computer Software
- 40% Enterprise
- 39% Mid-Market
14,002,464 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Git is easy to learn and has a tiny footprint with lightning fast performance. It outclasses SCM tools like Subversion, CVS, Perforce, and ClearCase with features like cheap local branching, convenien
- Software Engineer
- Senior Software Engineer
- Computer Software
- Information Technology and Services
- 38% Small-Business
- 35% Enterprise
1,796 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
AWS CodeCommit is a fully-managed source control service that makes it easy for companies to host secure and highly scalable private Git repositories. You can use CodeCommit to securely store anything
- Software Engineer
- Computer Software
- Information Technology and Services
- 47% Small-Business
- 30% Mid-Market
2,229,471 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Version control is the operating system of software development. It can solve problems efficiently and silently, or it can create more. Plastic SCM is a distributed version control, but can work cent
- Computer Games
- 64% Small-Business
- 22% Enterprise
107,689 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
CA Panvalet is a library management system that centralizes the storage of the source, establishes and maintains a control library of source programs and provides immediate access for maintenance, pro
- Hospital & Health Care
- 78% Enterprise
- 17% Small-Business
60,101 Twitter followers
- Overview
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- User Satisfaction
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Redgate creates ingeniously simple software to help data professionals get the most value out of any database, anywhere, through the provision of end-to-end Database DevOps. More than 200,000 people g
- Computer Software
- 50% Enterprise
- 32% Mid-Market
17,612 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
P4 (formerly Helix Core) is enterprise-class version control for faster, more collaborative development for teams of any size. With P4, developers can use their preferred tools — like Git and Visual S
- Principal Software Engineer
- Computer Games
- Computer Software
- 39% Enterprise
- 36% Mid-Market
5,141 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Subversion is an open source version control system. Founded in 2000 by CollabNet, Inc., the Subversion project and software have seen incredible success over the past decade. Subversion has enjoyed a
- Software Engineer
- Information Technology and Services
- Computer Software
- 42% Enterprise
- 42% Mid-Market
65,927 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
CA Harvest Software Change Manager (CA Harvest SCM) provides powerful, process-driven capabilities for managing development teams across your enterprise, encompassing multiple platforms and release ma
- 62% Enterprise
- 31% Mid-Market
60,101 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
IBM Rational ClearCase is a software configuration management solution that provides version control, workspace management, parallel development support, and build auditing.
- Information Technology and Services
- Automotive
- 83% Enterprise
- 13% Mid-Market
709,764 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
SourceGear Vault Pro is a version control and bug tracking solution for professional development teams. Vault Standard is for those who only want version control. Vault is based on a client / server a
- 45% Enterprise
- 27% Mid-Market
58 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Mercurial is a free, distributed source control management tool. It efficiently handles projects of any size and offers an easy and intuitive interface.
- Software Engineer
- Computer Software
- Information Technology and Services
- 55% Small-Business
- 35% Mid-Market
224 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Building software that matters is more than a race to close issues. We know every team can craft great software, you just need the best tools and the right information. FogBugz provides all you need
- 50% Mid-Market
- 43% Small-Business
23 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
CVS is a version control system, an important component of Source Configuration Management (SCM). Using it, you can record the history of sources files, and documents. It fills a similar role to the f
- 100% Enterprise
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Liquibase is a database change automation software that extends CI/CD pipelines to the database, removing the SDLC bottleneck of schema changes. Empowering database DevOps, Liquibase helps development
- Information Technology and Services
- 37% Mid-Market
- 30% Enterprise
1,915 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
AccuRev is a software configuration management tool which addresses complex parallel and distributed development environments with its stream-based architecture, to accelerate your development process
- Semiconductors
- 55% Enterprise
- 25% Mid-Market
21,716 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
IBM Rational Synergy is a task-based, software configuration management (SCM) solution that brings together global, distributed development teams on a unified platform.
- 83% Enterprise
- 17% Small-Business
709,764 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Simul provides advanced document management features such as branching, merging and version comparison for your Word documents
- 60% Enterprise
- 40% Small-Business
205 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Innovative, Change Management software for complete change control in an automated, simple to use system.
- 50% Mid-Market
- 50% Small-Business
8 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Alienbrain provides version control for digital art and design. It will securely store, version, manage, and share any file, with an intuitive visual user interface. Files are displayed as High-qualit
- 33% Small-Business
- 33% Enterprise
- Overview
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- User Satisfaction
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DBmaestro’s DevOps Platform paves the way for safe implementation of CI/CD for the database. With automatic drift prevention mechanisms, customizable role management, and a complete audit trail, our p
- Information Technology and Services
- 38% Enterprise
- 38% Mid-Market
6,603 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
iSecurity Change Tracker is dedicated to automatically monitoring and logging object changes, especially those made to production libraries, at both the source and object levels. Since Change Tracker
- 67% Mid-Market
- 33% Enterprise
496 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
JitPack is a novel package repository for JVM and Android projects.
- 33% Mid-Market
- 33% Enterprise
3,067 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
StarTeam's software configuration management manages and tracks source code changes - including change requests, defects, tasks, requirements, user stories and discussions - throughout the SDLC. It de
- 67% Mid-Market
- 33% Enterprise
21,716 Twitter followers
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- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
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Razor, an integrated, feature-rich configuration management system providing process management, issue/problem tracking, version control, and release management. Workflow, templates, rules, and contro
- 60% Small-Business
- 20% Mid-Market
59 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
DCVS enables globally distributed developer teams to efficiently and securely collaborate on one component of one software product.
- 50% Small-Business
- 50% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Kallithea, a member project of Software Freedom Conservancy, is a GPLv3'd, Free Software source code management system that supports two leading version control systems, Mercurial and Git, and has a w
- 100% Small-Business
150 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
The version management tool SCM Manager is easy to manage and offers all the features DevOps teams need. With help of the SCM-Manager users have full control over their source code and repository mana
- 67% Small-Business
- 33% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
VCE helps to do file revision control of hardwares, engineering and scientific projects, CAD/CAM files and other binary and text documents.
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Veracity takes previously-scary or painful things like Branching, Merging and working Offline and makes them comfortable, powerful components of your everyday workflow. Most merges are resolved automa
- 50% Enterprise
- 50% Mid-Market
58 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
ArX is a Version Control System (VCS), like CVS, Subversion, or GNU arch. It manages "archives" (collections of files), such as source code files for a software project. It tracks the history of each
- 100% Small-Business
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- User Satisfaction
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DeltaXignia, formerly DeltaXML, empowers enterprises to take control of document and data change management with precision and efficiency. Our advanced comparison and merge solutions for XML, JSON and
- 100% Mid-Market
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Darcs is a free and open source, cross-platform version control system, like git, mercurial or subversion but with a very different approach. Thanks to its focus on changes rather than snapshots, Darc
- 100% Enterprise
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Fossil is a simple, high-reliability, distributed software configuration management system with these advanced features: Integrated Bug Tracking, Wiki, and Technotes, Built-in Web Interface, Self-Cont
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Gitential provides proprietary software development analytics through git repository evolution analysis in order to maximize development efficiency. It helps CTOs and engineering managers work by prov
- 100% Mid-Market
81 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
The appliance for storing your code in your own network. If you are using git, you can now store your code in your own gitstorage device. Save time setting up your server using the gitstorage applian
- 100% Mid-Market
96 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Git and Mercurial Version Control and Source Code Hosting Used by over 20,000 software development teams to manage their code, improve quality with code reviews, organize projects, track changes and
- 200% Mid-Market
31,620 Twitter followers
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
monotone is a free distributed version control system. It provides a simple, single-file transactional version store, with fully disconnected operation and an efficient peer-to-peer synchronization pr
- 100% Enterprise
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Dynamsoft's SourceAnywhere version control software (AKA source control software) is specifically designed as a more powerful Visual SourceSafe (VSS) replacement.
- 100% Enterprise
381 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Bit is the platform for reusable components. It helps developers and organizations to build and reuse components such as UIs, features, and user-experiences across projects and products. With Bit, dev
- 100% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Version control, collaboration and online coding for devs.
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Code Co-op is an affordable peer-to-peer version control system with wiki bug database.
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Diversion is a modern alternative to Perforce and Git. It's a cloud-based version control for large assets and projects - games, entertainment, virtual production, 3D modeling, architecture visualizat
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
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fluxroll helps you build an Incident Response knowledge graph
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- User Satisfaction
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gitstat is a web-based statistics and monitoring system for git, a version control system which is best known for linux kernel
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lakeFS provides a scalable data version control system that supports any file format, is available on-prem, public cloud, and private cloud. lakeFS allows you to version your data using git-like oper
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
PingCode Project Management is an open and integrated platform that empowers teams to plan, execute, and deliver projects with agility and precision. Unlike traditional project tracking tools, PingCod
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Vesta is a portable SCM system targeted at supporting development of software systems of almost any size, from fairly small (under 10,000 source lines) to very large (10,000,000 source lines).
- 100% Mid-Market
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- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Yieldlab YRD is the logical continuation of the company's yield management- and programmatic advertising technologies, and the result of Yieldlab's long-standing experience in programmatic advertising
- 100% Mid-Market
- 50% Small-Business
Learn More About Version Control Software
What is Version Control Software?
Version control software tracks changes in software development projects, allowing users to collaborate and change the same files without compromising the overall build. Also known as revision control or source control systems, version control systems enable developers to work simultaneously on code. Each user or portion of a larger development team can isolate their own work through what are known as branches. By branching code into isolated segments, users can protect good code while tinkering with feature additions or fixes. These branches can then be merged together when they are finished. Merge to merge, a version history is maintained so developers can revert back to an earlier build if severe problems appear throughout the process. These systems also alert users to errors and conflicts on code merges, giving developers the opportunity to resolve issues. Version control software allows developers to automatically track their work, see a history of all changes, and access previous versions of a project when necessary. This functionality can be thought of as the development equivalent of keeping progressive drafts of a writing project. All code changes and branches are kept in a repository.
Version control solutions streamline the development process for both solo developers and full development teams. Users can manage code for multiple projects simultaneously, accomplish multiple projects at once, and maintain a history of changes. These systems must often be paired with the right version control hosting software, which hosts numerous code repositories on the cloud. While version control software provides the raw functionality for maintaining version history and enabling developer collaboration, version control hosting software hosts the master code repository on which they can make and track changes. To make interfacing with version control systems more intuitive, developers often use version control clients as part of their version control framework. Version control clients enhance the features of version control systems by keeping track of multiple projects, providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for easier control, and allowing development integration to move faster.
Key Benefits of Version Control Software
- Boost productivity and streamline development by facilitating simultaneous development collaboration
- Keep track of project changes as development progresses with version history
- Keep existing builds protected while making changes to projects via branches
Why Use Version Control Software?
Version control software is virtually necessary for any modern development environment. This software significantly reduces development time and promotes efficient teamwork by enabling simultaneous development collaboration. Developers also save time and energy thanks to these systems that work to constantly maintain version histories, protecting successful progress from being compromised by new code issues.
Simultaneous collaboration — Thanks to version control systems’ code branching functionality, developers can work on different sections of an overall build simultaneously. Changes made by each developer can be isolated from the rest of the project until they reach a finished state. Once finished, developers can safely merge their branches. Version control software also notifies users of errors or merge conflicts to resolve them safely.
Version history — Version control software provides developers with a constantly maintained version history for their projects. This protects projects from costly errors by preserving iterative progress, which developers can revert back to if necessary. Beyond keeping projects safe, version history also provides developers with a roadmap to keep track of changes for better organization. Version history can even help developers track down bugs—if a bug exists in one version of the project but not another, users can zero in on the possible changes that might have caused the bug.
Who Uses Version Control Software?
Version control software presents vital mechanisms for development teams of all sizes. These systems’ simultaneous collaboration functions are as useful to teams of 5 as they are to teams of 50. Even solo developers rely on version control systems to facilitate streamlined development.
Software development teams — Software development teams use version control software to achieve organized collaboration and parallel development via branching. With version control systems, team members can work on separate tasks simultaneously while keeping the master repository intact. They can also use version control history to track changes made by other members of the team, helping keep everyone on the same page.
Solo developers — The benefits of version control software extend beyond team collaboration. Solo developers rely on version control systems’ branching functionality to safely make changes to their projects without breaking their builds. If a branch merge or other issue ruins a project, solo developers can easily revert to a prior version to preserve their overall progress.
Kinds of Version Control Software
Local — Local version control systems function on a single system, making them commonplace for solo developers. These setups don’t lend themselves to collaboration, but they do allow solo developers to take advantage of version history and safely make changes to projects. While simple and handy, these setups are prone to error because it is difficult to make a complete copy of the repository.
Centralized — Centralized version control software relies upon a shared server, which different users can access from their own machines to work on files. Users make changes to working copies of files on the server, and any committed change a user makes is then instantly shared with the server and, therefore, other users. This setup relies on a strong internet connection to facilitate remote work if team members aren’t working in the same location.
Distributed — Distributed version control software is peer-to-peer, and each user in the distributed network has a clone of the full repository. Changes are committed to each user’s local repository, and those changes can then be exchanged with other repositories in the network. These systems make full backups easy because each user has a full copy of the repository.
Version Control Software Features
Code branching — Version control software enables developers to isolate segments of code from the rest of the project in what is called a “branch." Changes made within these branches do not impact the overall project until merged, allowing developers to work simultaneously without causing major errors.
Merge error detection — Sometimes when developers merge finished branches, unforeseen bugs and errors occur. These errors are referred to as “merge conflicts," as they are the result of new code in the branch conflicting with the rest of the project. Version control software alerts developers to potential merge conflicts and errors on merge, allowing users to resolve these issues more effectively.
Progress tracking — Thanks to these systems’ constantly updated version history, developers can easily track progress on their projects’ development goals. This visibility helps developers working on different branches maintain a comprehensive understanding of the project at large. Such transparency minimizes merge errors and other bugs caused by outdated build comprehension.
Project backups — Version control systems’ constantly maintained version history protects projects from bugs and errors by acting as a backup. Users can revert back to previous versions when things go wrong, preserving the overall progress made. The more iterative and comprehensive the version history, the more protection is granted to users’ progress.
