My search for alternative version control systems (VCS) started after I had successfully hacked my NSLU2 network appliance so that I could install on it a very popular open-source VCS called Subversion. I managed to get everything installed, however, during configuration I began to have doubts about using it. There were more setup options than I wanted to mess with and every new one had me reading a little more to fully understand how the system worked. I had been hoping for something more plug-n-play because I'm probably going to be the only person using it. Thus began the hunt for other alternatives.

While poking around the 'Net, I had run across several different open-source projects focusing on version control, but didn't really think much of them. My first, unfounded impressions were that these were young and most likely slated for abandonment like many other projects before them. Of the names I did see, none stuck out like CVS and Subversion; after all, they were the only 'real' version control systems, right? Right?!

Guess again! As I dug deeper I was surprised to find that there is a lot of activity going on in the world of version control. I found over ten different projects all involved in developing what you might call a 'modern' version control system! Some of them are Bazaar-NG, DARCS, Monotone, Arch, Git/Cogito, Codeville, Mercurial, and SVK.

The main idea behind many of these systems is to change the repository model from having a central repository and server to a distributed one where everyone who has a 'checkout' of the source code can be their own repository and server, thus imparting the name of distributed version control systems (DVCS). Not only are these new systems more robust, they also give software developers more flexibility in how they can share code amongst themselves. And the possibilities are actually quite exciting!

Of the projects which I found, I've narrowed my options to three: DARCS, Mercurial, and Bazaar-NG. I'm still evaluating which one I want to use, but I'm leaning towards the latter two. I'll tell you more about what I decide later, but I will leave you with some of the important pages that I read.

Resources

Project sites
• http://bazaar-vcs.org/
• http://darcs.net/
• http://www.selenic.com/mercurial/

Thoughts from others
• http://jaortega.wordpress.com/tag/version-control/
• http://blog.ianbicking.org/dvcs-mini-roundup.html (don't miss the comments)
• http://mark.stosberg.com/Tech/darcs/cvs_switch/index.html

Comparisons
• http://better-scm.berlios.de/comparison/comparison.html
• http://zooko.com/revision_control_quick_ref.html
• http://bazaar-vcs.org/RcsComparisons