Openness, whether the software is open source or proprietary
Repository model, how working and shared source code is handled
Shared, all developers use the same file system
Client–server, users access a master repository server via a client; typically, a client machine holds only a working copy of a project tree; changes in one working copy are committed to the master repository before becoming available to other users
Distributed, repositories act as peers; typically each user has a local repository clone with complete version history in addition to their working files
Active
AccuRev [proprietary, client-server] – source configuration management tool with integrated issue tracking based on "Streams" that manages parallel and global development; replication server is also available; now owned by Micro Focus
Autodesk Vault [proprietary, client-server] – Version control tool specifically designed for Autodesk applications managing the complex relationships between design files such as AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor
Darcs [open, distributed] – originally developed by David Roundy; track inter-patch dependencies and automatically rearranges and cherry-pick them using a theory of patches
Diversion [proprietary, client-server] – A cloud-based version control system for game development and projects with large 3D assets
Fossil [open, distributed] – written by D. Richard Hipp for SQLite; distributed revision control, wiki, bug-tracking, and forum (all-in-one solution) with console and web interfaces; single portable executable and single repository file
Git [open, distributed] – designed by Linus Torvalds for Linux kernel development; decentralized; goals: fast, flexible, and robust
Global Design Platform (GDP) [proprietary, client-server] – design data management for IC design and Perforce infrastructure support
Perforce P4 (formerly known by Perforce Helix and Perforce Helix Core) [proprietary, client-server] – for large scale development environments
Mercurial [open, distributed] – written in Python as an open source replacement to BitKeeper; decentralized and aims to be fast, lightweight, portable, and easy to use
OpenCVS – unreleased CVS clone under a BSD license, emphasizing security and source code correctness
Panvalet [proprietary, shared] – Around since the 1970s, source and object control for IBM mainframe computers
PVCS [proprietary, client-server] – developed by Don Kinzer at Polytron, first released in 1985; now owned by Micro Focus
Razor [proprietary,?] – integrated suite from Visible Systems
Revision Control System (RCS) [open, shared] – stores the latest version and backward deltas for the fastest access to the trunk tip compared to SCCS and an improved user interface, at the cost of slow branch tip access and missing support for included/excluded deltas
Source Code Control System (SCCS) [open, shared] – part of UNIX; based on interleaved deltas, can construct versions as arbitrary sets of revisions; extracting an arbitrary version takes essentially the same time and is thus more useful in environments that rely heavily on branching and merging with multiple "current" and identical versions
StarTeam [proprietary, client-server] – coordinates and manages software delivery process by Micro Focus, formerly Borland; centralized control of digital assets and activities
Subversion (SVN) [open, client-server] – versioning control system inspired by CVS
Vault [proprietary, client-server] – version control tool by SourceGear; first installation can be used for free
Obsolete
The following have been discontinued or not released in more than a decade.
Bazaar [open, distributed] – written in Python, originally by Martin Pool and sponsored by Canonical; decentralised: goals: fast and easy to use; can losslessly import Arch archives; replaced by friendly fork named Breezy
BitKeeper [open, distributed] – (discontinued) was used in Linux kernel development (2002 – April 2005) until its license was revoked for breach of contract; open-sourced in 2016
Code Co-op [open, proprietary] – (discontinued) peer-to-peer version control system (can use e-mail for synchronization)
GNU arch [open, distributed] – A very early system; deprecated since 2009 in favor of Bazaar
DCVS [open, distributed] – A decentralized spin on CVS, last released 2006 and since discontinued
Microsoft Delta [proprietary, client-server] – (discontinued) commercial version control system released by Microsoft in 1993 for MS-DOS and Windows; discontinued in 1994 following Microsoft's acquisition of SourceSafe from One Tree Software
Monotone [open, distributed] – not updated since 2011
↑Bill Wohler (10 Oct 1992). "Unix – Frequently Asked Questions (7/7)". RCS vs SCCS: How do they compare for performance?. [RCS ...] is much faster in retrieving the latest version
Years, where available, indicate the date of first stable release. Systems with names in italics are no longer maintained or have planned end-of-life dates.
