Looking for a source code management system with a good GUI client

Question

We are currently using CS-RCS Pro for source code management, and are looking for to replace this due to performance issues. It is based on client side file access with no own protocol, which makes it painfully slow to use over a slow VPN line since it always rewrites the whole history of a file. It does however have a GUI client which is very simple and gives a great overview.

We have three main requirements in a SCM:

1. Fast. It must have a server side service or some other smart way so working with files with a large history is fast.
2. A good Windows GUI client (not Explorer shell integration, not VS or Eclipse IDE integration, not web based), so working with files and branches is easy.
3. The possibility to have several branches checked out at once in different directories.

We also need the backend to be Windows based.

Does anyone have a recommendation of a SCM which fulfills these requirements?

Answer 1

Team Foundation Server

SourceGear Vault

VisualSVN (SubVersion) plus Ankh

Answer 2

though i've not used it for a real project yet, kiln might meet those requirements. its based on mercurial, a distributed scm with a lot of promise in my opinion. also, its made by fogcreek, joel spolsky's group, and they almost always put out amazing stuff

Answer 3

I recommend Git

It misses point number 3, but it does support sub-modules (nested repositories).

Answer 4

I think that condition 1 is self contradicting. It are the trips back and to the server which makes SCM's slow.

that being said, I have heard very good things about Perforce regarding speed.

Now I am just going to volunteer some unwanted information.

1. Distributed VCS which only need to go to the server to "share" code are extremely fast and work very well in trains, planes and automobiles.

2. GUI clients will make working with branches not a lot easier. Most complexity is inherent to having multiple configurations active at once. In fact I think a separate GUI client (as opposed to a well integrated one) will make it more difficult because it will not fit very well in the developers workflow causing branches to live longer.

GUI clients are great for people who use the VCS infrequently and beginners, which is probably not the user community for whom to optimise the tools. Also beginners do not stay beginners very long.

We have a similar debate in our company currently raging, and I know from experience that my viewpoints are extremely unpopular.

Answer 5

Have a look at http://www.assembla.com/ it has free SubVersion and Git repositories and the paid for version has loads of other tools. Makes it easy to try out the repositories without installing them locally.

Answer 6

Definately use Git. For the win32 front end, try TortoiseGit from code.google.com/p/tortoisegit

For centralized-like workflow on windows, see http://code.google.com/p/tortoisegit/wiki/HOWTO_CentralServerWindowsXP

In addition, I'd suggest looking at github.com for hosting of git repositories with a very nice web frontend. They offer private repositories, too.

See also: git-scm.com (for the official git) and progit.org (a free book about git - also available as print version from amazon)

About point 3 you made: git supports multiple branches in a single working directory and this is really way superior to each branch has it's own working directory style. Use "git clone" command if you really want additional working directories.

Learn about "git stash" and "git checkout" (possibly also "git checkout -b xyz" and "git merge") and you'll be better with just a single working directory. Git does support the other style, too, but it really is worse.