Apache Maven vs SVN (Subversion)

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Apache Maven

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SVN (Subversion)

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Apache Maven vs SVN (Subversion): What are the differences?

Introduction

Apache Maven and SVN (Subversion) are both popular tools in the software development industry. Maven is a build automation and project management tool, while SVN is a version control system. While both tools have similarities, there are key differences that set them apart.

  1. Dependency management: Maven is primarily used for managing project dependencies. It uses a declarative approach where dependencies are defined in a project's pom.xml file. Maven automatically downloads and includes the required dependencies, making it easier to manage and update dependencies across different projects. On the other hand, SVN does not provide built-in dependency management capabilities.

  2. Version control: SVN, being a version control system, allows developers to track changes made to files and collaborate on code. It provides features like version history, branching, merging, and conflict resolution. Maven, on the other hand, does not have built-in version control capabilities. It focuses more on project build and dependency management rather than tracking changes in code.

  3. Centralized vs Distributed: SVN follows a centralized version control model, where the codebase is stored in a central repository. Developers need to explicitly update and commit changes to the central repository. In contrast, Maven does not have a centralized codebase. It is a build tool that retrieves dependencies from remote repositories and builds the project locally.

  4. Workflow: SVN has a linear workflow where developers check out code, make changes, and commit them back to the repository. It is more suitable for projects with a strict linear development process. On the other hand, Maven follows a build-centric workflow where developers focus on defining the project structure, dependencies, and build settings. It helps automate the build process and simplifies project management.

  5. Integration: Maven is often integrated with other tools and frameworks in the Java ecosystem. It seamlessly integrates with IDEs like Eclipse and IntelliJ, making it easier for developers to work with Maven-based projects. SVN, on the other hand, can be integrated with various IDEs and development environments, allowing developers to perform version control operations directly within their preferred tools.

  6. Usage: Maven is widely used for Java projects and is a de facto standard in the Java community. It provides a standardized way of managing dependencies and building Java projects. SVN, on the other hand, is a popular version control system used in various industries and supports multiple programming languages.

In summary, Apache Maven focuses on project build automation and dependency management, while SVN is a version control system for tracking changes in code. Maven is best suited for Java projects and has a centralized dependency management approach, while SVN is suitable for projects that require version control and collaboration features.

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Pros of Apache Maven
Pros of SVN (Subversion)
  • 138
    Dependency management
  • 70
    Necessary evil
  • 60
    I’d rather code my app, not my build
  • 48
    Publishing packaged artifacts
  • 43
    Convention over configuration
  • 18
    Modularisation
  • 11
    Consistency across builds
  • 6
    Prevents overengineering using scripting
  • 4
    Runs Tests
  • 4
    Lot of cool plugins
  • 3
    Extensible
  • 2
    Hard to customize
  • 2
    Runs on Linux
  • 1
    Runs on OS X
  • 1
    Slow incremental build
  • 1
    Inconsistent buillds
  • 1
    Undeterminisc
  • 1
    Good IDE tooling
  • 20
    Easy to use
  • 13
    Simple code versioning
  • 5
    User/Access Management
  • 3
    Complicated code versionioning by Subversion
  • 2
    Free

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Cons of Apache Maven
Cons of SVN (Subversion)
  • 6
    Complex
  • 1
    Inconsistent buillds
  • 0
    Not many plugin-alternatives
  • 7
    Branching and tagging use tons of disk space

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What is Apache Maven?

Maven allows a project to build using its project object model (POM) and a set of plugins that are shared by all projects using Maven, providing a uniform build system. Once you familiarize yourself with how one Maven project builds you automatically know how all Maven projects build saving you immense amounts of time when trying to navigate many projects.

What is SVN (Subversion)?

Subversion exists to be universally recognized and adopted as an open-source, centralized version control system characterized by its reliability as a safe haven for valuable data; the simplicity of its model and usage; and its ability to support the needs of a wide variety of users and projects, from individuals to large-scale enterprise operations.

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What companies use Apache Maven?
What companies use SVN (Subversion)?
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What tools integrate with Apache Maven?
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What are some alternatives to Apache Maven and SVN (Subversion)?
Jira
Jira's secret sauce is the way it simplifies the complexities of software development into manageable units of work. Jira comes out-of-the-box with everything agile teams need to ship value to customers faster.
Jenkins
In a nutshell Jenkins CI is the leading open-source continuous integration server. Built with Java, it provides over 300 plugins to support building and testing virtually any project.
Gradle
Gradle is a build tool with a focus on build automation and support for multi-language development. If you are building, testing, publishing, and deploying software on any platform, Gradle offers a flexible model that can support the entire development lifecycle from compiling and packaging code to publishing web sites.
Apache Ant
Ant is a Java-based build tool. In theory, it is kind of like Make, without Make's wrinkles and with the full portability of pure Java code.
Apache Tomcat
Apache Tomcat powers numerous large-scale, mission-critical web applications across a diverse range of industries and organizations.
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