Working Copies: Checkout and Update

Checkout

Checkout downloads a snapshot of a repository path into a working copy:

svn checkout svn://server/project/trunk mycopy
cd mycopy

Hidden .svn directories inside record the link back to the repository.

Working Copy State

svn status      # see local changes
svn info        # url, revision, repository root

Status letters tell the story: M means modified, A added, D deleted, and ? means an unversioned file.

Update

Update merges everyone else's commits into your working copy:

svn update

Update often and early in a team to keep conflicts small.

Revision Specifiers

svn update -r 42          # jump to an exact revision
svn update -r HEAD        # latest revision
svn log -l 10             # last ten commits

Common Update Outcomes

Normally update applies remote changes cleanly. When both you and someone else edited the same lines, SVN flags a conflict you must resolve before committing.

Key Points

• Checkout creates the working copy; update syncs it.
• svn status reveals your local modifications.
• Sticky revision pins let you stay on a specific number.
• Resolve conflicts before they block commits.