Best Practices

Commits

• Commit small, focused changes with clear messages.
• Itemize bullet points for multi-file commits.
• Never commit generated files; use svn:ignore.
• Commit early and often to reduce conflicts.

Branching Policy

• Keep trunk releasable at all times.
• Branch per feature or release, merge promptly.
• Never commit directly to tag directories.
• Name branches with a consistent convention.

Working Copy Hygiene

• Update before you commit.
• Check svn status before committing to avoid surprises.
• Run svn cleanup if the working copy gets stuck.
• Use svn diff to review changes before commit.

Repository Management

• Back up with svnadmin dump regularly.
• Restrict access with authz per path.
• Keep hooks to enforce policies (pre-commit checks).
• Upgrade working copies with svn upgrade on major jumps.

Key Points

• Small commits, clear messages, frequent updates.
• Trunk stays stable; features live on branches.
• Hygiene commands protect your workday.
• Server hooks and backups keep the repo healthy.