Top SourceAnywhere Alternatives for Robust Version Control
SourceAnywhere has long served as a reliable source control solution, designed as a Visual SourceSafe (VSS) replacement. Its VSS-style approach, strong integration with IDEs like Visual Studio, Eclipse, and Dreamweaver, and use of Microsoft SQL Server as a backend make it a simple yet robust version control tool suitable for both local and remote development teams. However, as development practices evolve, many teams seek alternatives that offer more flexibility, advanced features, or different architectural paradigms. This article explores the best SourceAnywhere alternatives that can meet diverse version control needs.
Top SourceAnywhere Alternatives
Whether you're looking for a distributed system, a more feature-rich environment, or a different pricing model, these alternatives offer compelling reasons to make the switch from SourceAnywhere.
Git
Git is a free and open-source, distributed version control system that excels at handling projects of all sizes with speed and efficiency. Unlike SourceAnywhere's centralized model, Git's distributed nature allows every developer to have a full copy of the repository, offering robust offline capabilities and better branching and merging. It runs across various platforms including Free, Open Source, Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, BSD, and Haiku, and features strong version and source control capabilities.
Apache Subversion
Apache Subversion (SVN) is a centralized version control system, conceptually similar to SourceAnywhere in its centralized approach but based on change-sets. It's a free and open-source option available on Mac, Windows, Linux, BSD, and Haiku, providing reliable version and source control for teams that prefer a centralized repository over a distributed one.
Mercurial SCM
Mercurial is another free and open-source, distributed source control management tool that efficiently handles projects of any size with an easy and intuitive command-line interface. Like Git, it offers the benefits of distributed version control, making it a powerful alternative to SourceAnywhere for teams seeking more flexibility. It's available on Free, Open Source, Mac, Windows, Linux, BSD, and Haiku platforms.
Bazaar
Bazaar is a tool for facilitating collaboration by tracking changes to files, such as source code. It's a free and open-source, distributed version control system, making it an excellent alternative to SourceAnywhere for collaborative development. Bazaar runs on Free, Open Source, Mac, Windows, Linux, and Haiku, offering robust distributed version and source control features.
ZenTao
ZenTao is an open-source project management tool that extends beyond just source control, supporting Scrum and integrating product management, project management, bug management, and QA management. While SourceAnywhere focuses solely on source control, ZenTao offers a broader suite of tools for the entire development lifecycle. It's available as Freemium, Open Source, and self-hosted on Windows, Linux, Web, and Android platforms, featuring bug reporting, burndown charts, Kanban boards, and more.
darcs
Darcs is an advanced revision control system for source code or other files. It's fully distributed and supports lazy fetching of the remote repository, meaning it fetches only necessary parts. As a free and open-source solution, Darcs provides robust distributed version and source control capabilities, making it a strong contender against SourceAnywhere, particularly for those prioritizing distributed workflows. It's available on Free, Open Source, Mac, Windows, and Linux.
Perforce
Perforce (now Perforce Helix Core) offers comprehensive SCM capabilities built around a scalable client/server architecture, making it a high-performance alternative to SourceAnywhere for large-scale enterprise environments. It's a Freemium solution available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and BSD, providing robust version and source control features for teams requiring advanced performance and scalability.
Microsoft Team Foundation Server
Microsoft Team Foundation Server (TFS) is a Microsoft offering that encompasses source control, data collection, reporting, and project tracking, intended for larger development teams. While SourceAnywhere is a VSS replacement, TFS provides a much broader and integrated suite of ALM (Application Lifecycle Management) tools. It's a Commercial solution for Windows and Web platforms, offering real-time collaboration and extensive version and source control features.
Pijul
Pijul is a free and open-source distributed version control system based on a sound theory of patches, making it easy to learn, use, and truly distributed. Its unique approach to patches can simplify complex merging scenarios, offering a compelling alternative to SourceAnywhere for developers seeking innovative version control. It's available on Free, Open Source, Mac, Windows, and Linux platforms.
AnkhSVN
AnkhSVN is a Subversion SourceControl Provider for Visual Studio, allowing developers to perform common version control operations directly within the IDE. For teams accustomed to SourceAnywhere's Visual Studio integration, AnkhSVN provides a seamless transition to Subversion within the familiar environment. It's a free and open-source solution specifically for Windows and Microsoft Visual Studio, featuring activity history, file merging, and change reversion.
Choosing the right version control system depends on your team's size, development methodology, and specific feature requirements. Whether you opt for a distributed system like Git or a centralized one like Apache Subversion, these SourceAnywhere alternatives offer robust solutions to manage your codebase effectively. Explore their features and see which best fits your project's unique needs.