Software Configuration Management Patterns: Effective Teamwork, Practical Integration (Software Patterns Series)

Effective software configuration management (SCM) strategies promote a healthy, team-oriented culture that produces better software. Software Configuration Management Patterns alleviates software engineers' most common concerns about software configuration management-perceived rigidity and an overemphasis on process.Through the use of patterns, the authors show that a properly managed workflow can avert delays, morale problems, and cost overruns. The patterns approach illustrates how SCM can be easily and successfully applied in small- to mid-size organizations. By learning how these patterns relate to each other, readers can avoid common mistakes that too often result in frustrated developers and reduced productivity.Key coverage includes instruction on how to:# Develop the next version of a product while fixing problems with the current one.# Develop code in parallel with other developers and join up with the current state of codeline.# Identify what versions of code went into a particular component.# Analyze where a change happened in the history of a component's development.# Use current tools more effectively, and decide when to use a manual process.# Incrementally introduce good practices into individual workspaces and throughout the organization.# Identify crucial aspects of the software process so that team projects can run smoothly.# Build and foster a development environment focused on producing optimal teamwork and quality products.Software Configuration Management Patterns also includes a detailed list of SCM tools and thoroughexplanations of how they can be used to implement the patterns discussed in the book. These proven techniques will assist readers to improve their processes and motivate their workforce to collaborate in the production of higher quality software. Table of Contents......Page 3 Preface......Page 9 Why I wrote this book......Page 10 How to read this book.......Page 11 About the Photos......Page 12 Why I co-wrote this book with Steve......Page 13 Acknowledgements......Page 15 Key Concepts and Terminology......Page 17 Codeline and Branching Diagrams......Page 22 Further Reading......Page 23 Background......Page 25 Putting a System Together......Page 27 Balancing Stability and Progress......Page 28 The Role of SCM in Agile Software Development......Page 30 SCM in Context......Page 31 SCM as a Team Support Discipline......Page 34 What Software Configuration Management Is......Page 35 This Book’s Approach......Page 38 Further Reading......Page 39 General Principles......Page 41 What Software is About......Page 43 Architecture......Page 46 The Organization......Page 49 The Big Picture......Page 51 Further Reading......Page 52 Patterns......Page 53 About Patterns and Pattern Languages......Page 54 Patterns in Software......Page 55 Configuration Management Patterns......Page 56 The Pattern Language......Page 58 Overview of the Language......Page 60 Further Reading......Page 66 The Patterns......Page 69 Mainline......Page 71 Simplify your Branching Model......Page 75 Unresolved Issues......Page 77 Further Reading......Page 78 Active Development Line......Page 79 Define your goals......Page 82 Further Reading......Page 85 Private Workspace......Page 87 Isolate Your Work to Control Change......Page 92 Unresolved Issues.......Page 96 Further Reading......Page 97 Repository......Page 99 One Stop Shopping......Page 102 Further Reading......Page 105 Private System Build......Page 107 Think Globally by Building Locally......Page 110 Further Reading......Page 114 Integration Build......Page 117 Do a Centralized Build......Page 120 Further Reading......Page 122 Third Party Codeline......Page 123 Use the tools you already have......Page 126 Further Reading......Page 129 Task Level Commit......Page 131 Coarse Grained Tasks......Page 132 Do One Commit per small-grained task......Page 133 Unresolved Issues......Page 134 Codeline Policy......Page 135 Define the Rules of the Road......Page 138 Further Reading......Page 139 Smoke Test......Page 141 Verify Basic Functionality......Page 142 Further Reading......Page 144 Unit Test......Page 145 Test The Contract......Page 147 Further Reading......Page 148 Regression Test......Page 149 Test for Changes......Page 151 Further Reading......Page 152 Private Versions......Page 153 A Private History......Page 156 Release Line......Page 159 Further Reading......Page 163 Release-Prep Code Line......Page 165 Branch instead of Freeze......Page 167 Unresolved Issues......Page 168 Handling Long Lived Tasks......Page 169 Parallel Lines......Page 171 Use Branches for Isolation......Page 172 Daily Build and Smoke Test......Page 175 Bibliography......Page 177 CM Crossroads - Online Community and Resource Center for CM Professionals......Page 183 The Software Engineering Institute’s SCM Publications......Page 184 Pascal Molli’s “CM Bubbles” SCM resources page......Page 185 The Usenet newsgroup comp.software.config-mgmt......Page 186 Tool Support for SCM Patterns......Page 187 VSS - Visual Source Safe......Page 189 CVS - The Concurrent Version System......Page 191 Perforce......Page 193 BitKeeper......Page 195 AccuRev......Page 197 ClearCase - base functionality (non-UCM)......Page 199 ClearCase - Unified Change Management (UCM)......Page 201 CM Synergy......Page 202 StarTeam......Page 203 PVCS Dimensions......Page 205 PVCS Version Manager......Page 206 MKS Integrity (Enterprise edition)......Page 207 Further Reading......Page 208 Photo Credits......Page 209 About the Photos......Page 211 List of Figures......Page 215 Annotation Stereotypes portray software engineers as a reckless lot, and stereotypes paint software configuration management (SCM) devotees as inflexible. Based on these impressions, it is no wonder that projects can be riddled with tension! The truth probably lies somewhere in between these stereotypes, and this book shows how proven SCM practices can foster a healthy team-oriented culture that produces better software. The authors show that workflow, when properly managed, can avert delays, morale problems, and cost overruns. A patterns approach (proven solutions to recurring problems) is outlined so that SCM can be easily applied and successfully leveraged in small to medium sized organizations. The patterns are presented with an emphasis on practicality. The results speak for themselves: improved processes and a motivated workforce that synergize to produce better quality software Aims to alleviate software engineers' common concerns about software configuration management. Through the use of patterns, this book shows that a properly managed workflow can avert delays, morale problems, and cost overruns. The patterns approach illustrates how SCM can be successfully applied in small to mid-size organizations. This volume examines proven software configuration management strategies to allow professionals to deliver quality software systems with the least amount of wasted effort. It is designed to help managers build and foster a development environment focused on producing optimal teamwork Stephen P. Berczuk With Brad Appleton. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.