Question

I just query the SVN log with following command:

svn log -v URL > fileName.log

I am confused to see log file. I am not expert with
svn log files.

I was trying to get all the revision history for any
software. It worked well but it also returned some
paths that does not exist in my local copy of open
source systems.

For example:

/branches/softwareName_12/softwareName/......

The other address is fine that is

/trunk/src/..........

I want to know which path can I use to call it
real revision of the software?

What is branches? and what is trunk etc.? What is the difference?

By the way I am just querying open source software
on sourceforge svn.

Thanks

Answer 1

In many open source projects, the “trunk” is commonly used in version control software to refer to the set of revisions of a project that are considered stable. The theory is that any revision checked out from the trunk should be a stable version.

Branches are revisions where a copy of a revision in the trunk is made. Typically, these revisions are made independent of other modifications. Oftentimes, these revisions will involve longer development cycles where there will be points in the process where the software is not stable. A user who checks out a branch is not guaranteed to have checked out a stable working copy.

When the development is complete and the feature is stable, the branch may be merged back to the trunk where the changes become one with the stable revisions.

Tags are individual snapshots of a revision, either on the head or on a branch. Tags are typically used to mark milestones, like product releases, for example.

When you think of version control, picture a tree, where the trunk is in the middle, and many branches spread out from that tree.