Chapter 4. Software Configuration Management

The first half of this chapter describes why keeping track of how your software changes , a process more formally known as software configuration management (SCM), is vital for any project. This chapter covers exactly what is meant by SCM, and how it differs from change management or configuration management (CM). Seven of the most commonly used or promising SCM tools are examined: CVS, Subversion, Arch, Perforce, BitKeeper, ClearCase, and Visual SourceSafe.

The second half of this chapter discusses some of the most common annoyances encountered when using SCM tools and describes some of the ways you can avoid them.

The acronym SCM has been reverse-engineered over the years to stand for "source configuration management" and "source code management." The original, most widely used meaning is "software configuration management." SCM is also known colloquially as "version control" and "revision control." Since the number of TLAs (three-letter acronyms) is limited, reuse is inevitable; thus SCM also refers to "supply chain management" and "software compliance management," luckily in slightly different contexts.