Creating Subversion Repositories - Windows

In this post I will detail how to create a basic repository on Windows, however the process to use on other operating systems is virtually the same.

Using the Tigris Subversion Binaries

To create your own Subversion repository, you will first need to install the Subversion server software.

At the time of writing the current version was svn-1.4.5-setup.exe.

More versions are available at the Project Download Page.

Installing this will give you a Subversion folder at something like C:\Program Files\Subversion. Must regular subversion users will put the /bin folder in their path. This means they can execute the Subversion binaries from any location on the command line.

To create our repository will use the svnadmin.exe binary, with argument create and then the location on the file system where we want to create the repository. For example:

svnadmin create D:/temp/repo

This creates me all the required files for me to get started. I can access this repository directory using the url:

file:///D:/temp/repo

Using TortoiseSVN

Create a folder in the location you wish to create your repository. This is best to be an empty folder, on a path which contains no spaces. For example:

D:/repositories/companyname

Would be easier and better to use as apposed to.

D:/Program Files/Company Name

Right clicking on this folder will give you the “Create repository here…” function. TortoiseSVN gives you the option of two flat file system databases, Native Filesystem (FSFS) and Berkeley Database (BDB). Your best option is to pick the default FSF, BDB will not work over a local network, not even a remote share.

You can now access this repository via the url:

file:///D:/repositories/companyname

Obviously there will be nothing available yet, my previous post details how to import established projects into subversion