Apache Subversion vs Magit
Apache Subversion
subversion.apache.orgMagit
magit.vcSide by side
| Figure | Apache Subversion | Magit |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Version Control Software | 8.4 (#11) | 8.0 (#23) |
| Purpose | Apache Subversion is an open-source, centralized version control system intended for users ranging from individuals to large-scale enterprise operations. | Magit is a complete text-based interface to Git implemented as an Emacs package. |
| Support | The project offers community support through user and developer mailing lists; binary packages are maintained by volunteers or their respective projects, not officially endorsed or maintained by Subversion. | The project directs users to its FAQ, manual, issue tracker search, Emacs Stack Exchange, Reddit, and GitHub Discussions, and asks users not to use GitHub issues for support requests. |
Plans
In their own words
Apache Subversion
Apache Subversion is a free, open-source centralized version control system for individual users through large enterprise operations. It versions directories, files and free-form key/value properties, with atomic commits that apply only when the complete change succeeds. Branches and tags use copy operations with a small, constant space requirement, while merge tracking assists changes between development lines. File locking is optional, and selected files can require a lock before editing. Repositories can be served through Apache HTTP Server using WebDAV/DeltaV, or through the standalone svnserve server, including SSH tunneling. Subversion supports Windows, macOS and Linux, with API and self-hosted deployment options. It offers native large-file handling, sparse checkout and nested repositories. TortoiseSVN and Eclipse or NetBeans integrations are identified as separate third-party projects rather than core features. The project publishes source code, while binary packages are maintained by volunteers or other projects. Community support comes through user and developer mailing lists. Archived releases outside currently supported versions lack community support, and experimental features in the 1.14 release notes carry no backward-compatibility promise.
Magit
Magit is a free text-based Git interface implemented as an Emacs package for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It supports routine repository work including logging, cloning, pushing, merging, rebasing, cherry-picking, reverting, and blaming. Status buffers show the current branch, unpulled and unpushed changes, plus staged and unstaged work, and refresh after state-changing commands. Users can stage or unstage whole files, individual hunks, or selected hunk sections, then create or edit commits with amend, squash, and fixup workflows. Magit runs Git commands and can display them. The companion Forge package connects with GitHub and GitLab APIs for issues, pull requests, and other data. Magit is distributed under GNU GPL version 3 or later and installs through MELPA or MELPA Stable. The manual says it does not wrap every Git command, requires basic Emacs and Git experience, and may refresh large repositories slowly.