Source Control Management (SCM) is a critical component of DevOps, providing a central repository for managing and tracking changes to source code. SCM tools enable teams to work collaboratively on the same codebase, facilitating the sharing of code changes and reducing the likelihood of conflicts.
DevOps teams typically use distributed SCM tools, such as Git, which is widely considered the most popular SCM tool in use today.
Git is an open-source, distributed SCM tool that allows multiple developers to work on the same codebase simultaneously. Git provides a simple and powerful interface for committing changes, branching, merging, and tagging code.
One of the key advantages of using Git for SCM in DevOps is its distributed architecture, which allows developers to work offline and synchronize their changes when they come back online. This feature makes it easier for distributed teams to work together and enables developers to work independently without relying on a centralized server.
Git also offers a variety of branching and merging strategies that make it easy for teams to manage code changes, resolve conflicts, and keep the codebase up to date.
Branching is the process of creating a new branch from the main codebase, allowing developers to work on new features or bug fixes without affecting the main codebase.
Merging is the process of combining changes from one branch into another, allowing teams to bring changes into the main codebase.
Other SCM tools that are commonly used in DevOps include Subversion (SVN) and Mercurial. SVN is a centralized SCM tool that has been in use since the early 2000s. It provides features for branching, merging, and tagging code, but is less flexible than Git. Mercurial is another distributed SCM tool that is similar to Git in functionality.
SCM tools are typically integrated with other DevOps tools, such as continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) tools, build automation tools, and testing tools. This integration allows for a seamless development workflow, with changes to code being automatically tested, built, and deployed as part of a continuous integration and delivery pipeline.
SCM is a critical component of DevOps, providing a central repository for managing and tracking changes to source code. Distributed SCM tools, such as Git, are commonly used in DevOps, as they provide features for version control, branching, merging, and conflict resolution.
SCM tools are typically integrated with other DevOps tools, allowing for a seamless development workflow that includes continuous integration, build automation, and deployment automation.