Differences between CVSNT and CVS

Summary of highlighted differences between CVSNT and cvshome.org CVS

• Merge tracking via MergePoint attribute

• Support for :sspi: authentication, i.e. users can use existing Windows domain accounts / passwords, rather than :pserver: and local password files

• Support for SSL encrypted :sserver: authentication

• Support for :ssh: authentication via built-in SSH client (based on PuTTY/Plink). No more need for :ext: and third-party software installation and setup on the client.

• Branch ACLs can be used to restrict access with chacl and viewed with lsacl

• Compatible with NTFS ACL's for using permissions based on NT username or group.

• Remote user administration using cvs passwd command.

• Repository browsing via cvs ls command (update: now provided in standard CVS since version 1.12.9)

• LockServer on a second port replaces filesystem-based locks & provides file level locking

• Runs as an NT service with a Windows control panel applet for easy configuration (CVSROOT/config scripts etc. still used though)

• More sophisticated / extra triggers available e.g. postcommit. Triggers also available via COM/DLL/so interfaces.

• Supports Unicode files with additional keyword expansion switches.

• Atomic Checkout behaviour ensures you get the right version of every file.

• Efficient storage of binary files using binary deltas.

• Even more efficient storage using compressed deltas (when space is more important than performance).

• Extended modules functionality using the modules2 file.

• Advanced Reserved Edits and checked commits (supercedes exclusive locking concept)

• Server-side default options (cvsrc)

• Require/request Encryption/Compression from the server. Lock out clients connecting over insecure protocols or using insecure/inefficient options.

• Less error-prone and more effective ways to enforce Unix LF where necessary using new keyword option -kL

• Import without vendor branch and release tag.

• "Import-and-go" by optionally turning freshly imported trees into a new sandbox automatically. No more need to purge and do a fresh checkout first.

• Brief Status output. See what's out-of-date at a single glance.

• Full versioned rename (still under development)

(From John Kinson and others via the Email list)