For example, you probably want a subcontractor to have access to only a single project (the one she’s working on) and not to your entire repository. On its own, SVN can be daunting when attempting to manage multiple users with different permissions. Be sure to read the chapter titled Fundamental Concepts for a good overview of the SVN workflow. In addition, O’Reilly’s Version Control with Subversion is an excellent (and free) resource. Refer to Mike West’s article I Wonder What This Button Does to get started and learn the basics of the version control system. If you’re not currently using a contract for work you subcontract, get up, go sit in the corner, and think about what you’re doing. There are plenty of resources online on how to create a contract and structure it so you’re protected. Make sure your contract clearly defines the deliverables and payment terms. If you always have their latest code, what stops you from taking it and not paying them? Subversion itself doesn’t create this situation, though-dishonesty can happen in any workflow arrangement. Subcontractors may be concerned that this arrangement may lead to having their work used without compensation. This instant visibility on productivity benefits you and your subcontractors: you don’t have to nag them to complete work while they’re integrated into your workflow. You gain the ability to measure the quality and quantity of work your subcontractors complete within a given amount of time. The good and the bad #section7Ĭertainly there must be more to this than just creating more administrative work for yourself, right? Of course. I recommend a minimum of once per day while they work on the project. Set expectations on how often you expect to see updates from your subcontractors. At that stage, I commit my changes to Subversion frequently. I’ve found that the closer the project comes to completion, the more changes that take place over a short period of time. Much depends on the type of project you’re working on and whether or not you’re working with others on the same code. Others prefer to work through their projects and only commit their changes at the end of the day. Some people like to commit their project changes dozens of times per day. Set expectations #section6Įveryone uses Subversion differently. Depending on the subcontractor’s level of responsibility, you might decide you don’t need to include them in your Subversion workflow. Are there exceptions to this rule? #section5Ī process shouldn’t be enforced just because it’s the process. Your subcontractors will appreciate a solid workflow and know that you have your act together. Besides the normal benefits of versioning and allowing multiple people to work on the same code at the same time, SVN keeps your subcontractors accountable and the project code and files for your clients in your control and possession.Īs the subcontractor’s employer, you have every right to stipulate deliverables, the tools used, and how and when the work gets done. What’s the solution? Adopt SVN as your workflow. Effectively, you lose control of the project. This is a nice arrangement but it puts your project assets and code out of your hands and into those of someone outside your organization. zip files of their work or may post it to a remote server for you to download and view. Differing workflows can burden a small company-especially client services companies. If a subcontractor wants to do business with your shop, make your workflow and toolset mandatory. If you have solid subcontractors this just provides peace of mind, but if you have someone new it allows you to catch any misunderstandings, project issues, and coding mistakes before it’s time for the subcontractor to deliver the work. Subversion also keeps everyone on your team involved in the project: commits and project changes become visible as they are made (see The Tools You Need, below). Each commit is considered a “revision.” SVN tracks revisions and assigns them a number, so you can always roll back to a previous version of your work. People on your team can grab those files, view your work, make changes, and then commit those changes to the SVN repository. You write some code and “commit” it to your Subversion repository (the storage place for all of your project files). Subversion (SVN) is a version control system that allows you to track and store code changes, collaborate, and share project files. Subversion connects and promotes collaboration #section2 3 days of design, code, and content for web & UX designers & devs.
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