cvs

CVS (Concurrent Versions System) is a command-line tool used primarily for version control in software development projects. It allows multiple developers to work on the same project and manage changes made to the source code, ensuring that different versions of files can be tracked, compared, and merged.

CVS uses a client-server architecture, where a central repository stores all the project files and their versions. Developers can check out, or download, the latest version of the code onto their local machines to make changes. Once the changes are made, the developers can commit, or upload, their changes back to the central repository.

Some key features of CVS include:

1. Version tracking: CVS records all changes made to a file, allowing developers to access different versions and see who made the changes.
2. Branching and merging: CVS enables the creation of branches, which are independent lines of development. This facilitates team collaboration and the ability to work on different features or bug fixes simultaneously. It also provides mechanisms for merging changes made in branches back to the main branch.
3. Conflict resolution: If multiple developers make changes to the same file concurrently, CVS helps in resolving conflicts by highlighting conflicting sections and allowing developers to choose the appropriate version.
4. Access control: CVS provides options to control access to the repository, enabling administrators to restrict certain operations or limit access to specific files or groups of users.

While CVS was once a popular choice, it has been largely replaced by more advanced version control systems like Git, Mercurial, and Subversion. Nonetheless, CVS is still used in some legacy projects and environments that require its specific functionality or have existing CVS repositories.