Installing Subversion (SVN) on Ubuntu 20.04

Subversion (SVN) is an open-source version control system that allows you to manage changes to files and directories over time. It tracks the history of changes and enables multiple people to work on the same set of files concurrently. In this guide, we will walk you through the installation process of Subversion on Ubuntu 20.04.

Step 1: Update the System

Before installing any new software, it is always recommended to update the system to its latest state. Open a terminal and run the following command:

    
      $ sudo apt update
      $ sudo apt upgrade
    
  

Step 2: Install Subversion Packages

Subversion can be installed from the default Ubuntu repositories. Use the following command to install the necessary packages:

    
      $ sudo apt install subversion
    
  

Step 3: Verify the Installation

After the installation is complete, you can check the version of Subversion installed on your system by running the following command:

    
      $ svn --version
    
  

Step 4: Create a Repository

To start using Subversion, you need to create a repository where you can store your project's files and track changes. Navigate to the directory where you want to create the repository and run the following command:

    
      $ sudo svnadmin create /path/to/repository
    
  

Step 5: Configure Access Control

By default, Subversion allows anonymous read-only access to the repository. If you want to restrict access to certain users, you need to modify the access control file. Open the file for editing by running the following command:

    
      $ sudo nano /path/to/repository/conf/svnserve.conf
    
  

Uncomment the line that starts with anon-access and change its value to none. Uncomment the line that starts with auth-access and change its value to write if you want to allow write access to authenticated users. Save and close the file.

Step 6: Start the Subversion Server

To make your repository accessible, you need to start the Subversion server. Run the following command:

    
      $ sudo svnserve -d -r /path/to/repository
    
  

Step 7: Test the Subversion Server

Finally, verify if your Subversion server is working by creating a test repository. Use the following commands:

    
      $ svn checkout svn://localhost/path/to/repository
      $ cd repository
      $ touch test_file
      $ svn add test_file
      $ svn commit -m "Add a test file"
    
  

If the commands execute without any errors and the commit succeeds, then your Subversion server is up and running properly.

Conclusion

Subversion is a powerful version control system that can be easily installed on Ubuntu 20.04. After installation, you can create repositories, configure access control, and start using Subversion to manage your project's files and track changes efficiently.