How to install subversion server

Question

I'd like to install a Subversion server on my Ubuntu machine.
What packages to I need? How do I create a repository and set a new user?

Solution 1

There are many configurations for svn, here a some short instructions to get a basic svn repository available over http.

1. Install required packages: apt-get install subversion apache2 libapache2-svn
2. Create an Directory-Structure: mkdir -p /var/svn/repos/
3. Create a Repository:
   • cd /var/svn/repos/
   • svnadmin create --fs-type fsfs <your-repository>
4. Now Create your Project-Struckture to import in the repository:
   • mkdir -p /tmp/myproject/trunk /tmp/myproject/tags /tmp/myproject/branches
5. Import the Project to the Repository:
   • svn import /tmp/myproject file:///var/svn/repos/<your-repository> -m "initial import"
6. Make it accesseable over http:
   • cd /etc/apache2/sites-available
   • touch subversion.conf
   • vim subversion.conf

Now edit the empty file with this configuration:

NameVirtualHost *:80

<VirtualHost *:80>   
  <Location /svn>
      ErrorDocument 404 default
      DAV svn
      SVNParentPath /var/svn/repos
      SVNListParentPath off
      Require valid-user
      AuthType Basic
      AuthName "subversion access"
      AuthUserFile /var/svn/.htpasswd
      AuthzSVNAccessFile /var/svn/authz 
  </Location>
</VirtualHost>

• enable dav_svn module for apache: a2enmod dav_svn
• enable authz_svn module for apache: a2enmod authz_svn
• enable VHost configuration: a2ensite subversion.conf
• now restart the webserver: /etc/init.d/apache2 restart
• Create an htpasswd: htpasswd -c /var/svn/.htpasswd user
• Create the access control file for the repository: touch /var/svn/authz
• edit the empty authz file: vim /var/svn/authz
• Give read/write rights to for user:

[your-repository:/]

user = rw

Let's try to checkout the the repo over http: svn checkout http://your-server/svn/your-repository

Solution 2

Start reading the manual. I am currently doing the same.

Once you have set up a repository with svnadmin create /path/to/repo, you can use svnserve --root /path/to/repo to make the repository available at svn://yourhost/. Open TCP port 3690 if necessary.

It's possible to use SVN over HTTP, but I have not read that part yet :o

Solution 3

You will need the subversion package.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install subversion

This package contains the client, tools to crate a Subversion repository and the server.

Comments

[somasekhar]

Depending on your needs, you might be better of with a distributed SCM like Bazaar (bzr), which is easy to learn coming from Subversion, but that does not need a server running. This is great if you are working alone and just need some log and safety net. And I just have to mention git, which is the most powerful tool out there, imho.

[AMIC MING]

sudo apt-get install subversion

[Kris Harper]

Whilst this may theoretically answer the question, it would be preferable to include the essential parts of the answer here, and provide the link for reference.

[nanofarad]

I can't do the edit as the changes are too small, but could you fix the last line to say checkout as opposed to ceckout?

[Madhusudhan]

i can not find this package libapache2-svn. Error: #Reading state information... Done E: Unable to locate package libapache2-svn System: ubuntu 12.04 32bit (all repositories are enable)

[mrswadge]

You also need to enable the authz_svn module, otherwise you will get Invalid command 'AuthzSVNAccessFile', perhaps misspelled or defined by a module not included in the server configuration. You can use the command a2enmod authz_svn to do this.