Lullabot Ideas

We know stuff. We empower you to know stuff too.

Git is coming soon to Drupal.org

Blog by Jerad BitnerMarch 29, 2010 - 10:00am

For years now, discussions have been brought up about migrating away from Drupal.org's current version control system (or VCS) into a newer one. We're currently using CVS (Concurrent Versions System) and it has been considered by some a barrier to entry and a source of conflict in the community for years. SVN (Subversion) was a likely candidate for a while since many people have used (and still use) this and so are familiar with it, but when the real discussion started happening, it was clear that a distributed version control system (or DVCS) was the way to go. The three inital candidates were Murcuial, Bazaar and Git. So, in Drupal's do-cratic way, Angie posted a topic in the Issue tracking and software releases group on http://groups.drupal.org to get the ball rolling and to get a feel for not only what sort of interest was out there, but also what sort of resources were available to help get any of these options implemented. It very quickly became apparent not only by the amount of volunteers who were willing to start helping out with a plan of attack but how quickly they started getting to work, that the DVCS of choice, based upon our community's ability to make this transition, was Git.

I'd like to reiterate that this decision was not something come to lightly. There are three pages of comments on that post, one of the most important being where Angie describes the reasons for the decision:

I actually deliberately tried to leak information about this post in pieces, using a concrete, calculated strategy in order to arrive at the conclusion of which one has more practical community support (this is the key).

This is important because even though there actually might be better technologies, and there are some compelling reasons, Git is the technology that is the most practical in terms of our community supporting this change.

How can I help?

Where can I learn more?

Comments

Rick Vugteveen (not verified) on March 29, 2010 - 1:45pm

Creative Commons Git Book

Another excellent resource is the Pro Git book, which is available in print or for free online. I've found it invaluable in ramping up on Git. The documentation is very clear. Seeing as how the material is CreativeCommons licensed the material could be used within the handbook as long as attribution is given.

Benjamin Doherty (bangpound) (not verified) on March 29, 2010 - 3:15pm

Training on git at DCSF.

I'm happy to volunteer to help people learn Git at Drupalcon SF, especially designers and others who aren't comfy with version control tools. I can't lead sessions, but I can definitely help a small group in a "turn to your neighbor" sort of way.

Is there already an organized effort to help people learn at DCSF?

March 29, 2010 - 3:40pm Jerad Bitner

There is going to be talk

There is going to be talk about the migration and along with I'm sure there will be some talk on how to use it on d.o - but maybe a BOF on just Git in general would really be useful. I'd certainly attend and participate.

Geshan Manandhar (not verified) on March 31, 2010 - 12:07am

git rocks

git is the best, its open source and distributed. Waiting for Drupal to shift from CVS to git :)

Bradley D. Thornton (not verified) on April 16, 2010 - 3:18am

The best, although belated, choice has been made..

Good to see that Git was the choice. Actually, I would have been astonished with anything beside Git or Subversion, the latter being passe nowadays in comparison.

In fact, had it NOT been one of the two above, it most certainly would have been best just to stick with CVS until such time as one of the two above were chosen or some next generation revision control system came onto the scene.

We had some discussion about which way to go over at DragonFlyBSD a few short months ago, and Git was the clear winner.

It's hard to skip over or migrate away from some of the old time favs, but things have to move on and if it was indeed the *right time* to do this, it was definitely the right choice ;)

Peter (not verified) on May 8, 2010 - 5:26pm

Inaccurate!

Bradley, there are other good choices beside Git and Subversion. Mercurial for starters, which the original post mentions, and either Mercurial or Git would have been beneficial for Drupal.

Your comment that it would have been best to stick with CVS if one of Git/SVN hadn't been chosen assumes no other system is any good, which is simply not the case.

May 9, 2010 - 11:02am Jerad Bitner

Post DrupalCon update

We also have a great interview of Sam Boyer where he talks about this.

http://lullabot.com/podcasts/drupal-voices-97-sam-boyer-drupalorg-migrat...

There is also his presentation he did at DrupaCon on that page.