28.1 Version Control

A version control system is a program that can record multiple versions of a source file, storing information such as the creation time of each version, who made it, and a description of what was changed.

The Emacs version control interface is called VC. VC commands work with several different version control systems; currently, it supports GNU Arch, Bazaar, CVS, Git, Mercurial, Monotone, RCS, SCCS/CSSC, and Subversion. Of these, the GNU project distributes CVS, Arch, RCS, and Bazaar.

VC is enabled automatically whenever you visit a file governed by a version control system. To disable VC entirely, set the customizable variable vc-handled-backends to nil (see Customizing VC).

• Introduction to VC: How version control works in general.
• VC Mode Line: How the mode line shows version control status.
• Basic VC Editing: How to edit a file under version control.
• Log Buffer: Features available in log entry buffers.
• Registering: Putting a file under version control.
• Old Revisions: Examining and comparing old versions.
• VC Change Log: Viewing the VC Change Log.
• VC Undo: Canceling changes before or after committing.
• VC Ignore: Ignore files under version control system.
• VC Directory Mode: Listing files managed by version control.
• Branches: Multiple lines of development.
• Miscellaneous VC: Various other commands and features of VC.
• Customizing VC: Variables that change VC's behavior.