What is the main difference between Git and SVN?
Tags: git, versioncontrol, svn
Published: 2023-02-05 15:32:05

---
title: What is the main difference between Git and SVN?
published: true
date: 2022-12-08 11:15:43 UTC
tags: git,versioncontrol,svn
canonical_url: https://medium.com/codex/what-is-the-main-difference-between-git-and-svn-dd32926adafd
---

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_Photo by Max Duzij on Unsplash_

Git and SVN are both version control systems, which are tools that help developers manage changes to the source code of their software projects. Both Git and SVN allow developers to track changes to their code, revert to previous versions, and collaborate with other members of their team. However, there are some significant differences between the two systems that make Git a better choice in many cases.

One of the main differences between Git and SVN is the way they handle data. Git is a distributed version control system, which means that every developer who works on a project has a complete copy of the entire project history on their own computer. This allows developers to work independently and commit changes to their local copy of the project, without needing to be connected to a central server. This makes Git ideal for working on projects with a distributed team, or for working offline.

SVN, on the other hand, is a centralized version control system. This means that there is a central server that holds the latest version of the project, and all developers who work on the project need to be connected to the server in order to commit their changes. This can make collaboration more difficult, especially for teams that are geographically dispersed, or for teams that need to work offline.

Another key difference between Git and SVN is the way they handle branching and merging. Branching allows developers to create new versions of their code without affecting the project’s main branch. This is useful for working on new features or bug fixes, without disrupting the work of other team members. Git makes it easy to create and manage branches and has powerful merging tools that allow developers to easily combine changes from multiple branches.

SVN, on the other hand, has a more limited approach to branching and merging. It allows developers to create branches, but it does not provide the same level of support for managing and merging them. This can make it more difficult for developers to work on multiple versions of their code at the same time, and it can lead to conflicts and errors when merging changes from different branches.

Another key advantage of Git over SVN is the way it handles conflicts. When multiple developers are working on the same project, there is always a possibility that they will make changes that conflict with each other. Git has powerful conflict resolution tools that allow developers to easily resolve conflicts and merge changes from multiple branches. SVN, on the other hand, does not provide the same level of support for resolving conflicts, which can make it more difficult for teams to collaborate and merge their changes.

Overall, Git is a more powerful and flexible version control system than SVN. It allows developers to work independently and offline, it provides better support for branching and merging, and it has more advanced conflict resolution tools. For these reasons, many developers prefer to use Git for their projects, and it has become the most popular version control system in the world.

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