Open Source Development with CVS, Third Edition is a fully updated edition of the best-selling guide to the most widely used version control software for open source developers. CVS-Concurrent Versions System-is the powerful open source version control system used by both programmers and system administrators. With a system like CVS you can easily incorporate numerous source code management techniques used by professional developers. This book provides a solid introduction to CVS and then takes you through all of the steps involved in using CVS to manage projects. Special chapters show you how to use the advanced features of CVS, how to use third-party tools, how to troubleshoot CVS, and how to build, test, and release software using CVS's powerful features. A bonus chapter is provided to show CVS users how to use BitKeeper-a commercial and scalable configuration management system used by many open source developers.

Even if you've just begun exploring open source development, or if you are an experienced developer, you will find this book invaluable. Throughout the book, the authors, who are members of the CVS development team, bring a wealth of experience and insight to their coverage of CVS.

This book will teach you how to:

• Manage your source code with CVS
• Perform powerful system administration tasks with CVS
• Develop good coding style, correct documentation procedures, and proven testing techniques
• Use BitKeeper (BK/PRO) when you need extended version control features
• Join an open source project and contribute code via CVS
• Use third-party tools that are especially designed to work with CVS

This Book Is Written For:

• All open source developers
• Managers of open source development projects
• System administrators
• Computer science students
• Those new to open source projects

Contents

• Why Open Source Development and CVS Go Together
• An Overview of CVS
• CVS Repository Administration
• Advanced CVS
• Tips and Troubleshooting
• The Devlopment Process
• The Open Source Process
• Designing for Decentralized Development
• Third-Party Tools that Work with CVS
• Complete CVS Reference
• CVS versus BitKeeper-A Comparison

• Appendices