Does A Repository Always Need A Service With It

"What practise y'all call a code repository?" I asked a developer friend for a definition in simple and understandable language.

"Hm," she considered the question. "I never actually idea most it. I just push the code to GitHub repo, when I'm washed with that feature or bug fixing, and I never stopped to recollect about the definitions."

Whether you're new to software development or y'all finally decided to dig deep into the agreement of what lawmaking repositories do, this commodity volition concentrate on questions similar "What does source code repository hateful?", "What is the all-time source lawmaking repository?" and "How to choose the repository for your personal project?"

In this article:

What is a Code Repository?
Why do yous need a Code Repository?
GitHub
BitBucket
GitLab
SourceForge
OSDN
Subversion
Tips & Tricks

What is a code repository?

If yous are a developer, you've definitely heard the proper name GitHub or BitBucket at to the lowest degree in one case – these are an instance of code hosting service platforms.

A source-code repository is an annal with the lawmaking as well every bit the hosting facility for these software archives, where y'all tin can also take the project'south technical documentation, web pages, snippets, patches, etc. which can be accessed publicly (open-source) or privately.

What tin can a source code repository do?

Keeps your code safe
Offers a version control selection to make sure all changes that were done to your code are tracked, and you lot know who did something to your code. You can too revert dorsum to the previous version of the code before "Everything went bad."
Simplifies the process of unifying changes from developers' collaboration
Provides and promotes teamwork principles since several developers can work together on the same projects, modules, and fifty-fifty lawmaking lines
Prepares your code for release to product
Proceed the statistics and analytics of the changes in the lawmaking

What is the purpose of a code repository? We think there are three major ones:

Version control for your project is critical. Even if you're the only developer on the team, the chances are that you're homo, and you might make a error and delete an actress semicolon, sending your cute code running into disarray. Version control provides an opportunity to get back.
Code repositories are great community builders. While there are some tricks yous might not want to share (or that are protected by the NDA of a company you work for), committing to a joint project or submitting a bug fix to your favorite JavaScript framework is suitable for everyone involved. Your favorite framework becomes even better, and anybody else is grateful to yous for fixing that nagging mistake.
Code repositories are great digital portfolios or resumes. For a programmer, a GitHub repository or committing to an open-source projection are the all-time CVs possible. You tin can tell all y'all want about your excellent hard skills, but providing a link to your lawmaking repo would make it more conceivable. For companies, assuasive the developers time to contribute to open up-source projects also pays off because it promotes creativity too as encourages continuous learning.

Besides the features mentioned higher up, many source code repositories also offer built-in problems tracking systems, wiki-based project documentation, and release management.

What can the code repository contain?

Commit objects' set
References to commit objects (as well known as heads)
A historical tape of the repository code changes

Who uses the source code repositories? Anybody who is involved in the project should take admission to the repository – frontend and backend developers, project managers, HTML layout developers, QA engineers, etc. – everyone who needs access to the lawmaking, tests, and technical documentation.

Lawmaking repositories tin be for single developers, multi-developer projects, and open-source software projects (which are a sort of multi-developer, but anyone can easily access the code, whereas the sometime is shared with a specific set of users.) Single-developer projects can be stored locally, on a server, and in the cloud. Multi-developer and open up-source projects are stored online on a server or a cloud, to permit easy collaboration betwixt the users.

Since several people can edit lawmaking repositories, at that place are two terms yous should also know about that are essential to this case:

Branch – when you lot desire to diverge from the principal code line, you can "co-operative" the code from the master "torso." The repository lawmaking branch remains a function of the original repository, and the branch relies on the trunk. If the original code is deleted, the branch has no support either.
Fork – when you lot want to go a completely dissimilar fashion, you can fork the main repository, which ways you copy or clone the original and have it from there. The fork, different a co-operative, is not relying on the original repository and will remain if the source was deleted. It becomes its own new body.

The traditional limerick of a repository is a torso, branches, and tags. Branches usually contain new versions of the code, which can be either discontinued or merged with the primary body lawmaking.

Popularity of repositories over 12 months 2020 worldwide google trends

[Comparison of the acme repository managers according to Google as of June iii, 2021]

WHY Practise WE NEED A CODE REPOSITORY?

What is a code repository used for? It's a way to publish your amazing code to a production server without the hassle of walking to the lead developer the file athenaeum on a wink drive or uploading the file to the production server via SSH or FTP…

But what do you practise if at that place is an error in your lawmaking, and you urgently need to set up it? Without a repository management organization, you would accept to unpack your code once again, look for the error, gear up information technology, and repeat the previous steps… Also long.

With a GitHub or BitLocker, for example, this process becomes much simpler and straightforward (non to mention safer for the product server and your end-users.)

As we have discussed to a higher place, the repository management solutions (also known as Version Control Systems or VCS) take many other useful features:

You can work on the same project wherever you are without relying on your local storage for the project.
You tin collaborate with numerous other developers on a company product or contribute to an open-source project that would benefit the community as a whole. (Otherwise, yous would take to compare the code from different developers and unite it manually into one coherent archive.)
You can relish the simplified debugging options cheers to side-by-side lawmaking comparison, which highlights the things that were changed in the latest versions.
You lot can revert to the previous version (or find out who broke the code or fixed a disquisitional bug.)

Centralized, Decentralized, and Distributed System

[Source: On Distributed Communications]

ADVANTAGES OF DISTRIBUTED VERSION CONTROL SYSTEMS

There are 2 main types of code repository platforms – centralized version control systems (VCS) and distributed version command systems (DVCS). The former is an older kind, where there is only one cardinal code repository, and you, as a developer, can contribute merely to that repository. If you don't have access to the Cyberspace and the lawmaking is located on an external server, bad luck – y'all can't commit your changes. An example of such a system is Subversion (aka SVN) and CSV.

Thankfully, there are distributed VCS, which support several repositories for the projection. This manner, each developer can have her/his ain local repository (one or several), and work autonomously with each i. Such DVCS allows you lot to work even in conditions where y'all don't have an Cyberspace connection (for case, somewhere on a beach in Thailand.)

Git and Mercurial are the main contestants in the DVCS category, which are managed with the assist of services such every bit GitHub, GitLab, or BitBucket.

SOURCE CODE REPOSITORY Comparing

There are many public-hosted services likewise as lawmaking repositories, including GitHub, GitLab, BitBucket, SourceForge, and others. They all have their strengths and weaknesses, and in this commodity, we'll take a wait at the most pop ones in detail.

GITHUB

Name: GitHub
Website: github.com
Director: GitHub, Inc. (Caused by Microsoft in 2018)
Established: 2004
Server-side: No
Client-side: No
Developed or used CDE: Unknown
Crave gratuitous software on registration: No
Advertizement-free: Yep
Users: 40,000,000
Projects: 100,000,000

Available features:

Code review
Bug tracking
Web hosting
Wiki
Personal repository
Private repository
Denote
Build system: tertiary-party (e.yard., Travis CI, Appveyor, etc.)
Squad
Release binaries
Self-hosting: GitHub Enterprise (Commercial)

Supported repositories:

Git
SVN (partial)

How to get FREE GitHub?

As of December 2021, GitHub offers a complimentary plan for organizations and individuals. This gratuitous GitHub program has the following features:

Unlimited private/public repositories
two,000 automation minutes/month. (Valid only for public repositories. Private isn't included.)
500 MB of packages storage. (Valid simply for public repositories. Private isn't included.)
New bug and projects in express beta
Community support

Git is a version control system while GitHub (and the like) is a cloud-based hosting service for managing Git repositories. You accept Git repositories locally, and they are uploaded to the cloud-based GitHub.

Recently GitHub acquired the PullPanda service, which at present simplifies the collaboration process on code reviews.

"Better code reviews mean better code for software teams of all sizes, whether you piece of work in open up source or on a Fortune 500 team," says the press release from GitHub.

Cheque out the GitHub Octoverse report for 2020.

Frequently asked questions:

How to become lawmaking from the GitHub repository? You lot tin can download the code as a Aught archive and install it on your local computer with the assistance of Git.
How to push code to the GitHub repository? You need to create a new repository on GitHub, then change the current working directory to your local projection. Initialize the directory with the assistance of $ git init. Add the files using $ git add. Finally, commit the files with the command $ git commit -m "My beginning commit
How to add code to an existing GitHub repository? Notice the repository's primary page on GitHub and click the button "Upload files." You tin can drag and drop the files or folder you'd like to upload to your repository. Don't forget to write a comment for the commit, so that other developers volition understand what was changed.
How to push lawmaking to the GitHub repository from Eclipse? Pushing lawmaking to the Git repository from Eclipse is easy. You need to create a local Git repository for your project in Eclipse. Correct-click the project proper name in Project Explorer and click Team > Share Project > Git > Next > Create. Choose the folder for your local Git repository and click Finish.
How much does GitHub price? Unmarried developer – FREE unlimited individual repositories, Team – $four/user/calendar month (with the user and team permissions direction). Concern – $21/user/calendar month.

BITBUCKET

Name: Bitbucket
Website: bitbucket.org
Manager: Atlassian
Established: 2008
Server-side: No
Client-side: No
Adult or used CDE: Unknown
Require free software on registration: No
Advertisement-free: Yes
Additionally: not bachelor in Cuba, Islamic republic of iran, North korea, Sudan, and Syria.
Users: 5,000,000

Available features:

Code review
Problems tracking
Web hosting
Wiki
Personal repository
Private repository
Build system
Squad
Cocky-hosting: Bitbucket Server (Commercial. Previously known as Stash)

Supported repositories:

Atlassian has given us many useful projects, such as JIRA, Confluence, and BitBucket. The latter offers unlimited individual code repositories for Mercurial and Git. At the moment, it is one of the virtually pop source code repository hosts, right afterwards GitHub.

Among the features of BitBucket, you can notice JIRA integration, custom domains, secured workflows and lawmaking reviews, too every bit flexible deployment models for your lawmaking.

How much does it cost to use BitBucket? Small teams tin can enjoy information technology for free (upwards to 5 users). Standard program (1-100 users) is $3/user/month, and Premium program costs $6/user/month. For more than details on BitBucket pricing, check out their website.

GITLAB

Name: GitLab
Website: about.gitlab.com
Manager: GitLab Inc.
Established: 2011
Server-side: Partial
Client-side: Yep
Adult or used CDE:          
          GitLab Customs Edition (CE) — costless software
          GitLab Enterprise Edition (EE) — proprietary
Require free software on registration: No
Ad-free: Yes
Additionally: not bachelor in Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North korea, Sudan, and Syria
Users: 100,000
Projects: 546,000

Available features:

Lawmaking review
Bug tracking
Web hosting
Wiki
Personal repository
Private repository
Announce
Build system
Team
Release binaries
Cocky-hosting
Tin exist installed on your ain server, assuasive y'all to customize domains and access
Provides Git repository direction with result tracking and lawmaking review
Offers an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) with wiki and activity streams
Has built-in continuous deployment and continuous integration, which allows you to build, test, and deploy code rapidly.

Supported repositories:

GitLab is a consummate DevOps platform with CI/CD toolchain that works out of the box. GitLab can be installed on your own server, which makes it a great option for those who are looking for a convenient source code repository hosting provider. We utilise GitLab for all our company projects, while the GitHub business relationship was used for the open-source projects nosotros were doing and contributing to.

How much does information technology cost to apply GitLab? The community edition is free for an unlimited number of users. GitLab Premium package costs $xix/user/month (or $228/year) and GitLab Ultimate is $99/user/month (or $1,188/year.) More on GitLab pricing is institute on their website.

SOURCEFORGE

Name: SourceForge
Website: sourceforge.net
Manager: BizX LLC
Established: 1999
Server-side: Aye
Client-side: Apache Allura
Adult or used CDE: No
Crave free software on registration: No
Advertizement-free: For open up-source projects merely.
Additional: not bachelor in Republic of cuba, Islamic republic of iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria
Users: iii,700,000
Projects: 500,000

Available features:

Lawmaking review
Bug tracking
Web hosting
Wiki
Beat server
Mailing listing
Forum
Personal repository
Individual repository
Announce
Team
Release binaries
Self-hosting

Supported repositories:

Git
Hg
SVN
Fossil

SourceForge was created to be an open up-source community resource. Compared to the competitors, it has been around for 20 years at present and is considered a top selection for developers who work with open-source projects. It is free to use SourceForge.

SourceForge features such tools equally hosting lawmaking for Git, Subversion, and Mercurial. It also has a nice visualization for the commit history as a graph and features threaded discussion forums too as integrated issue tracking.

Besides offering to host the projection on the open up-source platform, SourceForge besides takes advantage of the customer reviews and helps other businesses thrive. The pricing for the SourceForge promotion is steep, but from the list of the features included, information technology's worth information technology. There is a free programme bachelor for those who place a SourceForge badge on their visitor website. Otherwise, the Plus plan starts at $450/calendar month, the Premium program is $975/month, and Dilate is $1,799/month.

OSDN

Name: OSDN (Previously known as SourceForgeJP)
Website: osdn.net
Director: OSDN K.K.
Established: 2002
Server-side: Unknown
Client-side: Yes
Developed or used CDE: Unknown
Require free software on registration: No
Ad-free: No
Users: 54,826
Projects: 6,294

Bachelor features:

Code review
Issues tracking is the principal difference from SourceForge. In OSDN, issues tracking and wiki are more than Trac-similar systems.
Web hosting
Wiki
Vanquish server
Mailing listing
Forum
Private repository
Announce
Team
Release binaries

Supported repositories:

In terms of pricing, the OSDN website says that "each evolution project is provided with a gratis of charge shell server which tin be used for testing software and structuring Web sites."

APACHE SUBVERSION (SVN)

Proper name: Apache Subversion (Software Versioning & Revision Command System) Website: subversion.apache.org Manager: Apache Software Foundation Established: 2000

Available features:

Files and unabridged directory trees would retain full revision history even if they were renamed, copied, moved, or deleted.
Symbolic links keep the versioning
Binary files are supported natively with infinite-efficient binary-unequal storage
Subversion offers native client-server and layered library blueprint
Open up-source licensed with Apache Licence since version 1.7
Has path-based say-so
Supports merge tracking between branches, which allows automatic merging betwixt branches

Frequently asked questions:

What is the Subversion code repository? Often, the Subversion code repository goes by the proper noun of SVN, which can cause confusion for new developers. Subversion and SVN are the same things.
How much does Apache Subversion cost? It is free for use as it supports the open up-source customs.
How to import source code from the SVN repository? Importing from a Subversion repository is uncomplicated – locate and select the binder into which your files should be imported in the repository browser, click File > Import in the menu, select the files to be imported, and click Import. Earlier committing, you lot can add together an optional comment to log the action.

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TIPS & TRICKS: FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A CODE REPOSITORY

We've taken a quick wait at the well-nigh pop source code repositories and their management systems. It might seem like they are all the same, and it doesn't matter which ane to choose. However, there are five criteria you should pay attention to when you're deciding on the project's toolset.

Supported version control systems. Is the repository hosting service compatible with the version control system used in the project? If you, for example, use SVN, but your hosting service doesn't support it, you volition have a difficult time using it.
Your squad size. If your project involves only yous, so you accept a wide selection of options. Notwithstanding, when yous have several developers involved, consider the level of permissions you need to assign and whether all your developers are working from the office or domicile/coworking spaces.
Release schedule. How often do y'all plan to release the updates to the code? If you are planning to release small things regularly, then you lot can consider choosing a repository direction system with continuous integration and deployment. These features will greatly simplify your daily routine.
Your projection size. Will you lot work with 3D graphics files or audio files? Are in that location any large file types involved? Some of the software solutions are specifically aimed at simplifying the working process for large files.
Third-party solutions integration options. The chances are that you'll need to integrate your source code repository with some other third-party solutions, for case, Atlassian's JIRA or QA automation tools. These integrations assist to streamline the working process and open a new variety of features that can empower your evolution feel.

At HUSPI, we prefer the combination of GitLab and GitHub. GitLab is used for internal projects that we work on for our clients. GitHub is used for contributing to the customs of developers and more often than not working on various projects.

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