Version Control Terminology

Check-in

To save your working copy of the file into the repository. Referred to as Commit in some version control systems.

Check-out

To take a copy of a file from the repository into your working folder (sandbox). Typically you will be checking-out the latest revision, but you can also access all earlier revisions. Depending on the VCS the file can be flagged as simply checked-out, or checked-out exclusively (locked).

Commit

To save your working copy of the file into the repository. Referred to as Check-in in some version control systems.

Conflict

The situation when two people try to commit changes that affect the same region of the same file. These must be resolved, either using a Merge tool, or manually.

CVS

Concurrent Versions System, an open source version control system. Altium Designer has a direct CVS interface, allowing you to track and access revisions directly from its Storage Manager panel, making it very easy to compare different revisions of schematic and PCB files.

Database

The master storage of all the files under version (or source) control, also known as the repository.

Log message

A comment about changes made to a revision when you check it in. The log messages can be used as a summary of the progress of changes in a file.

Project

Most version control systems support the concept of a project. A VCS project is a set of related files which can be checked-in/out as a set. The VCS may also support other project-type features, such as setting a version number on all files in a project.

Repository

The master storage of all the files under version (or source) control, also known as the database.

Revision

A committed change in the history of a file or set of files. This is the numerical reference supplied by the VCS to track the different editions it is holding of the file.

Sandbox

Folder where you check files out to work on them, also referred to as the Working Folder.

SCC

Source Code Control, a software interface standard defined by Microsoft® that allows an editing application to interface to a version control system. Supports actions such as launching the VCS, checking files out, checking changed files in, logging information about the change and examining the revision history.

SVN

Subversion, an open source version control system. Altium Designer has a direct SVN interface, allowing you to track and access revisions directly from its Storage Manager panel, making it very easy to compare different revisions of schematic and PCB files.

Update

The act of checking for and 'pulling' changes from the copy in the repository into your working copy of the file (the compliment of Commit, or Check-in). The process of merging in any differences requires a Merge tool, or manual updating.

VCS

Version Control System, a generic term applied to any tool that is capable of managing file version history and file retrieval.

Version

The term version is normally used to refer to the external reference number allocated by a human to the controlled files, or their output (e.g., in the case of source code).

Working copy

Your copy of the file that you actually make your changes in.

Working folder

Folder where you check files out to work on them, also referred to as the Sandbox.