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CVS (Concurrent Versions System)

Classic open-source centralised version control system that predates Subversion and Git.

Open sourceSelf-hostableVersion control systems

Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Linux, macOS, Windows, Self-hosted

Visit CVS (Concurrent Versions System)See 5 alternatives

Is CVS (Concurrent Versions System) free?

Yes, free and open source

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About CVS (Concurrent Versions System)

CVS, the Concurrent Versions System, is one of the oldest open-source version control systems still distributed. It records the history of source files and documents on a central server, and developers check out working copies, edit them and commit changes back. It introduced unreserved checkouts, letting several people edit the same files at once and merge later, plus vendor branches for tracking code from other teams and a modules file for naming groups of directories. Many free software projects used it through the 1990s and 2000s before moving to Subversion and then Git. CVS is free software, downloadable from the GNU FTP site, with volunteer help on mailing lists. Today it matters mostly to people maintaining or migrating old repositories: it stores history per file, commits are not atomic across files, and most actions need a connection to the server, so new projects are almost always better served by Git.

Best for: Teams maintaining legacy CVS repositories or planning a migration away from them.

Pros and cons

What works

  • Simple centralised model that is easy to reason about
  • Free software with a long track record
  • Still readable by migration tools for moving to Git

Why people leave

  • Commits are not atomic across multiple files
  • Most operations need a connection to the central server
  • Little active development; modern tools have replaced it

CVS (Concurrent Versions System) vs Fossil, Mercurial and Perforce P4

From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.

AttributeCVS (Concurrent Versions System)FossilMercurialPerforce P4
PricingOpen sourceOpen sourceOpen sourceFree plan + paid
Verified price———$39 per user/month (Cloud, billed monthly)
Free planFree appFree appFree appYes, up to 5 users
Open sourceYesYesYesNo
Self-hostableYesYesNoNo
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, Self-hostedWindows, macOS, Linux, Self-hostedWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted

Top CVS (Concurrent Versions System) alternatives

See all 5
  1. 1Fo
    Fossil

    Single-file distributed VCS with built-in wiki and bug tracker, easy to self-host.

    74.4
  2. 2Mercurial logo
    Mercurial

    Distributed like Git but with a simpler command set that CVS users find familiar.

    61.8
  3. 3Perforce P4 logo
    Perforce P4

    Keeps CVS's central-server model with file locking, but scales to huge repositories and binary assets.

    57.5
  4. 4Unity Version Control logo
    Unity Version Control

    Centralised workflow with file locking that suits artists, plus optional distributed branches, aimed at game teams.

    55.9
  5. 5Jujutsu (jj) logo
    Jujutsu (jj)

    A modern VCS with simple commands and an undo log that stores repos in Git format, so they work with GitHub and other Git hosts.

    54.5

Why people left CVS (Concurrent Versions System)

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

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CVS (Concurrent Versions System): common questions

What is CVS (Concurrent Versions System)?

CVS (Concurrent Versions System): Classic open-source centralised version control system that predates Subversion and Git. Best for teams maintaining legacy CVS repositories or planning a migration away from them. Available for Linux, macOS and Windows, and you can host it yourself.

Is CVS (Concurrent Versions System) free?

Yes. CVS (Concurrent Versions System) is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.

Is CVS (Concurrent Versions System) open source?

Yes. You can also run it on your own server.

What platforms does CVS (Concurrent Versions System) run on?

CVS (Concurrent Versions System) is available for Linux, macOS, Windows and Self-hosted.

What are the best alternatives to CVS (Concurrent Versions System)?

The highest-ranked CVS (Concurrent Versions System) alternatives right now are Fossil, Mercurial and Perforce P4. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

CVS (Concurrent Versions System) vs Fossil: what's the difference?

Both CVS (Concurrent Versions System) and Fossil are free and open source. Both run on Linux, macOS and Windows.

See all 5 CVS (Concurrent Versions System) alternatives