Top Microsoft Visual SourceSafe Alternatives for Modern Development
Microsoft Visual SourceSafe (VSS) has long served as a basic source control solution for small software development projects. However, with the evolution of software development practices and the increasing demand for robust, distributed, and collaborative version control systems, many developers are actively seeking more advanced and reliable Microsoft Visual SourceSafe alternatives. This article explores the leading contenders that offer superior features, better performance, and enhanced flexibility for modern development workflows.
Best Microsoft Visual SourceSafe Alternatives
If you're ready to move beyond the limitations of VSS, these alternatives offer powerful version control, improved collaboration, and support for a wide range of development environments.
Git
Git is a free and open-source, distributed version control system, making it an excellent Microsoft Visual SourceSafe alternative. It's designed to handle projects of all sizes with speed and efficiency. Git is available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, BSD, and Haiku, offering extensive platform compatibility. Its key features include distributed version and source control, along with portability, making it highly versatile for diverse development teams.
Apache Subversion
Apache Subversion (SVN) is a centralized version control system that serves as a robust Microsoft Visual SourceSafe alternative, offering a more modern take on centralized source control. It's free and open-source, available across Mac, Windows, Linux, BSD, and Haiku. SVN's strength lies in its concept of change-sets, providing a more structured and reliable way to manage code changes compared to VSS.
Mercurial SCM
Mercurial is another free and open-source, distributed source control management tool that stands out as a powerful Microsoft Visual SourceSafe alternative. It efficiently handles projects of any size and boasts an easy and intuitive command-line interface. Available on Mac, Windows, Linux, BSD, and Haiku, Mercurial's distributed nature and robust version and source control features offer significant advantages over VSS.
Bazaar
Bazaar is a free and open-source tool designed to facilitate collaboration by tracking changes made to files, making it a viable Microsoft Visual SourceSafe alternative for teams. It's available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Haiku. Bazaar's distributed version and source control capabilities provide a flexible and efficient way to manage code changes, far surpassing VSS in terms of collaborative features.
ZenTao
ZenTao is an open-source project management tool that, while not strictly a direct version control system like VSS, integrates various aspects of software development including bug and QA management, making it a comprehensive solution for teams looking beyond just source control. It's available on Windows, Linux, Web, Android, and can be self-hosted. ZenTao offers features like bug reporting, Scrum and Kanban boards, and test case management, which extend well beyond the scope of a basic VSS setup.
darcs
Darcs is an advanced revision control system suitable for source code or other files, presenting a robust Microsoft Visual SourceSafe alternative. It is free and open-source, fully distributed, and supports lazy fetching of remote repositories. Darcs is available on Mac, Windows, and Linux, offering sophisticated distributed version and source control features that provide greater flexibility and efficiency than VSS.
Perforce
Perforce offers comprehensive SCM capabilities built around a scalable client/server architecture, making it a powerful commercial Microsoft Visual SourceSafe alternative for larger teams and enterprises. Available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and BSD, Perforce provides robust version and source control features designed for high-performance and complex development environments, far exceeding the capabilities of VSS.
Microsoft Team Foundation Server
Microsoft Team Foundation Server (TFS) is a Microsoft offering for source control, data collection, reporting, and project tracking, serving as a direct and more comprehensive commercial Microsoft Visual SourceSafe alternative. Intended for larger teams, TFS is available on Windows and Web, providing features like real-time collaboration and advanced version and source control capabilities within the Microsoft ecosystem.
AnkhSVN
AnkhSVN is a free and open-source Subversion SourceControl Provider for Visual Studio, making it an excellent Microsoft Visual SourceSafe alternative specifically for developers working within the Microsoft Visual Studio environment on Windows. It allows direct execution of common version control operations from within the IDE, featuring activity history, file merging, and change reverting, enhancing the developer workflow significantly compared to standalone VSS.
VisualSVN
VisualSVN is a commercial Visual Studio plug-in that seamlessly integrates Subversion and TortoiseSVN with Visual Studio, offering a powerful Microsoft Visual SourceSafe alternative for Windows developers. It virtually eliminates the manual management of your source control, providing a streamlined experience directly within the IDE, a significant improvement over the more isolated VSS.
Choosing the right Microsoft Visual SourceSafe alternative depends on your team's specific needs, project size, and preferred workflow. Whether you prioritize distributed version control, deep IDE integration, or comprehensive project management features, there's a powerful tool available to upgrade your development experience. Explore these options to find the best fit for your next project and move towards a more efficient and collaborative source control solution.