Code Repository

A code repository is more than just a place to store code—it’s the foundation of effective, modular, and scalable software development. In Machanism, a well-organized repository is critical for managing reusable modular components (bricks) and enabling seamless collaboration as systems grow in size and complexity. Proper repository management ensures modularity, scalability, reusability, and independent development of components.

In this section, we will explore the strategies behind repository management for Seed Projects and non-seed projects, and why tools like SVN and Git are essential for supporting Machanism’s philosophy of Divide and Use.

Requirements for Repositories in Machanism

To effectively manage modular projects, the repository must:

1. Support parent-child relationships: Parent modules should define and manage the structure and dependencies of their sub-modules (artifacts), ensuring logical organization.
2. Enable scalability: Seamlessly accommodate the growth of sub-modules and their integration into larger systems without structural inefficiencies.
3. Encourage independent sub-module development: Allow developers to checkout, modify, and manage specific sub-modules independently of the entire repository.
4. Provide flexibility: Adapt to diverse workflows, ranging from centralized Seed Projects to lightweight non-seed components.

These principles ensure efficient management while preserving the ability to scale and evolve modular systems in a clean, maintainable manner.

Why SVN for Seed Projects?

Seed Projects, the backbone of Machanism’s modular design, demand a repository that handles hierarchical relationships and strict dependency management, while ensuring efficiency across teams. SVN (Subversion) is the ideal choice for these projects due to its native support for managing complex architectures.

Reasons Why SVN is Optimal

1. Parent and Artifact Sub-Modules
   SVN excels at supporting parent-child hierarchies, where parent modules organize and enforce global settings for sub-modules (artifacts). This ensures modular systems at scale remain highly structured and manageable.

2. Centralized Version Control
   SVN provides a single source of truth, ensuring consistent alignment between parent and sub-modules. This centralized control is essential for maintaining compatibility between Core logic and artifacts in Seed Projects.

3. Independent Sub-Module Development
   SVN allows developers to checkout and work on individual sub-modules without downloading the entire repository. For instance, a developer can focus exclusively on a Shipping module without interacting with unrelated components like payment or customer management. This flexibility supports efficient collaboration and reduces overhead.

4. Performance for Deep Hierarchies
   Seed Projects often involve large, interdependent modules. SVN’s ability to efficiently handle branching and tagging simplifies workflows while managing deep hierarchies effectively.

In essence, SVN supports modular development with structured relationships, centralized control, and independent workflows, enhancing the Divide and Use philosophy.

Prefer Working with Git? Use git-svn

To bridge the gap between Git workflows and the modular structure of SVN, developers can use git-svn. This allows Git operations (commits, branching, merging) to remain compatible with the central SVN repository.

How to Clone a Repository

To clone a specific subproject with git-svn, use the following command:

$ git svn clone module_scm_url

• module_scm_url refers to the location of the subproject you want to clone, which you can find on the Source Code Management page.

This approach combines the best of both worlds: developers can work with Git locally while adhering to the structure provided by SVN.

Making and Committing Changes Back to SVN

Once changes have been made locally using Git, those changes can be pushed back to the SVN repository using the git svn dcommit command. This command ensures that Git commits are converted to SVN commits and synchronized with the central repository.

Steps:

1. Make Changes Locally:

   • Edit files as needed.

   • Stage and commit changes using standard Git commands:

     $ git add [file]
$ git commit -m "Describe your changes"

2. Push Changes to SVN:

   • Use git svn dcommit to push your Git commits back to the SVN repository.
   • The dcommit command translates each Git commit into an SVN commit and syncs them with the central repository.

How to Update

Before pushing changes, you should ensure your local working copy is synchronized with the latest updates from the central SVN repository.

1. Pull the Latest Changes:
   Run the following command to fetch the latest changes from the SVN repository and reapply your local commits after syncing: $ git svn rebase

   This command pulls the latest changes from SVN and rebases your local Git branch to align with them.

2. Resolve Conflicts:
   If conflicts occur, resolve them manually, stage the resolved files using git add, and then repeat the rebase process.

3. Reapply and Push Changes:
   After resolving conflicts, rerun the git svn dcommit command to push your changes to SVN.

Best Practices for Using git-svn

• Rebase Frequently:
  Run git svn rebase regularly to avoid conflicts and ensure your local Git branch stays updated with SVN repository changes.

• Resolve Conflicts Carefully:
  Handle conflicts manually during rebase or dcommit operations, and thoroughly test your changes before syncing.

• Align Ignore Rules:
  Synchronize .gitignore in Git with SVN’s svn:ignore rules to maintain consistent behavior across files.

• Keep Commits Small:
  When using dcommit, ensure commits are small and focused to make the SVN history easier to understand and track.

For more details, refer to the documentation on git-svn.

Why Git for Non-Seed Projects?

Non-seed projects, often smaller or standalone components such as front-end applications or microservices, don’t require strict hierarchical management. Instead, they thrive with tools that prioritize flexibility, independence, and lightweight version control. Git is the ideal choice for these cases.

Reasons Why Git is Ideal

1. Distributed Version Control
   Git’s distributed nature allows developers to work locally with branching, commit histories, and merging workflows, without relying on a centralized server. This independence supports rapid iteration and experimentation, ideal for front-end interfaces or standalone utilities.

2. Integration with CI/CD Pipelines
   Git seamlessly integrates with modern CI/CD tools like GitHub Actions, GitLab CI/CD, and Jenkins, enabling automation of testing, building, and deployment. This ensures fast, reliable delivery for agile, iterative projects.

3. Lightweight and Flexible
   Non-seed projects often don’t follow strict parent-child hierarchies. Git’s ability to adapt to loosely coupled systems allows for fast prototyping and flexibility, making it an excellent choice where agility and innovation are key.

In short, Git’s lightweight mechanics, distributed workflows, and automation compatibility make it a perfect fit for non-seed projects that require speed and independence.

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