Question 1

What do you need Subversion for (SVN for short)?

Accepted Answer

SVN is a version control system (VCS) that manages files and directories and tracks changes to them. This allows you to restore any version and audit changes. Subversion is centrally available on the network for all authorized users.

Question 2

What can you do with SVN?

Accepted Answer

Subversion, often abbreviated to SVN, is a version control system used to manage and track changes to files and directories. Here are the main features and use cases:

Version control: SVN allows you to track every change to files and directories. This allows you to revert to previous versions at any time.
Collaborative development: Multiple users can work on the same projects at the same time. Changes can be integrated and conflicts caused by concurrent changes can be resolved.
Change history: SVN keeps a complete history of all changes, making it easy to see who changed what and when.
Branching and tagging: Users can create alternate branches to develop new features or fix bugs without affecting the main line of code. Tags can be used to mark specific points in the development history.
File synchronization: SVN ensures that all developers have the latest versions of files and synchronizes changes between the different working copies.
Access control: SVN provides mechanisms for managing user rights and access controls to ensure that only authorized users can make changes.

Overall, Subversion is a powerful tool that makes software development more efficient and secure by facilitating collaboration and management of source code and other files.

Question 3

What is an SVN client?

Accepted Answer

An SVN client is software that allows users to interact with a Subversion repository. An SVN client allows users to retrieve files and directories from the repository, make changes, and upload those changes back to the repository. The main functions of an SVN client include:

Checkout: Retrieving a working copy of a project from the repository.
Commit: Uploading changes from the working copy back to the repository.
Update: Synchronizing the working copy with the latest changes from the repository.
Revert: Reverting changes in the working copy to the state in the repository.
Merge: Merging changes from different development branches.

Examples of SVN clients are TortoiseSVN (for Windows), SmartSVN (cross-platform), and the command line client that ships with Subversion itself.

Question 4

What is a repository?

Accepted Answer

An SVN repository is a central storage location for files and their version history in a project. It allows:

Version history storage: Tracks all changes to files.
Access control: Controls who can make changes.
Branching and tagging: Supports development branches and tags versions.
Transactions: Secures changes atomically to ensure data integrity.

The repository can be accessed locally or over the network.

Question 5

What is the difference between Subversion and Git?

Accepted Answer

Subversion (SVN) and Git are version control systems with these main differences:
Architecture:
SVN: Centralized, with a central repository.
Git: Decentralized, everyone has a complete copy of the repository.

How it works:
SVN: Changes are synchronized directly to the central repository.
Git: Changes are edited locally and synchronized later.

Branching and merging:
SVN: Slower and more complicated.
Git: Fast and easy.

Performance:
SVN: Can be slower, often requires network access.
Git: Faster, many operations are local.

Storage requirements:
SVN: Centralized storage requirements.
Git: Each clone contains the entire history, but stored efficiently.

Areas of application:
SVN: Centralized development structures, companies.
Git: Distributed development, open source projects.

Question 6

How can I create a local copy?

Accepted Answer

The easiest way to do this is with a Subversion client like TortoiseSVN. This SVN tool is available on Windows. Subversion clients are also available on Linux.
Many development environments such as Eclipse, PhpStorm, or Visual Studio already have a Subversion client integrated and can carry out commits, checkouts, and updates directly.
A copy of the central repository is created on the local hard drive via a so-called checkout. This also works like this on the Linux command line:
svn checkout http://YourUserName@svnXYZ.saas-secure.com/svn/myProject 
The copy can now be changed, expanded, or parts can be deleted. Only after a commit are the changes transferred to the central Subversion server and become visible to all other users.

Question 7

Is it possible to test Subversion hosting?

Accepted Answer

Yes.
Each of our packages can be tested for 7 days free of charge. If you do not like our hosting, you can stop the test at any time via the customer center and all data is deleted.
If you like our hosting, the package is automatically converted into regular hosting after the end of the trial period and you can continue working seamlessly.

Question 8

Where are the servers located?

Accepted Answer

All of our servers are housed in German data centers. The data centers are certified according to ISO/IEC 27001 and therefore meet all standards regarding safety and environmental protection.

Question 9

How secure is my uploaded data?

Accepted Answer

All of our systems are redundantly secured against failure. In recent years we have achieved an average availability of 99.99%.
Furthermore, all of our customer data is saved once a day with an encrypted backup on external systems. We keep the backups for 7 days and can restore the backed-up data if necessary.

Question 10

How can I create a local copy and/or update it?

Accepted Answer

First of all, you need an SVN client on the local computer to be able to communicate with the SVN server. For Windows computers we recommend the TortoiseSVN client. The Subversion package is available under Linux. You can install this, for example, with apt install subversion.
Now you can copy the link to the Subversion repository from the SVN administration (checkout URL). The process is called checkout and transfers the entire repository from the central repository to the local computer.
With TortoiseSVN, a right-click in the directory tree is enough to open the checkout dialog. On Linux, go to the desired directory and enter: svn co saasurl/repositoryname my/local/path.
You will then be asked for a username and password. The user should have at least read permissions to read the data. After the transfer, you will have the latest status of the repository on your computer.
If you would now like to update your local copy, i.e. add the latest changes from the server to your local copy, there is the update function.
In TortoiseSVN all you need to do is right-click on the folder to be updated and run Update. On Linux it works like this: svn update my/local/path.

Question 11

Can your own domain be used for Subversion hosting?

Accepted Answer

Yes.
As long as you have access to the settings of your DNS server, which contains the zone of your desired domain, using your own domain is not a problem. 
To do this, enter your desired domain in the customer center and then add a CNAME record to your DNS server that points to the standard domain of the hosting. 
For example, if you want to use your domain svn.xyz-my-domain.de instead of saas01234.saas-secure.com: 
 CNAME Record: svn.xyz-my-domain.de => saas01234.saas-secure.com  
Setting up on our site usually only takes a few hours. If your DNS record is also active, you can already access Subversion hosting with your domain. 
In the customer center you can then activate a Let's Encrypt certificate or your own certificate for the domain.

Question 12

How can I back up an SVN repository (SVN dump)?

Accepted Answer

The backup can be done under Linux on an SSH console using svnrdump.
All you need is the URL of the repository and a file name under which the dump should be saved.
svnrdump dump http://domain.tld/repo > svnexport.dump
The created file svnexport.dump now contains all repository revisions.
Remote export is possible with all Subversion servers from version 1.4!

Question 13

How can I import an SVN dump?

Accepted Answer

First of all, an empty Subversion repository must be created on the central server. Then the import can be started on the local SSH console:
svnrdump load http://domain.tld/repo < svnexport.dump
If a username and password are required for the import, the command is:
svnrdump load http://domain.tld/repo < svnexport.dump --username admin --password admin --non-interactive
All revisions will now be transferred to the central server.

However, in some cases you will get an error:
 svnrdump: E175002: DAV request failed; it's possible that the repository's pre-revprop-change hook either failed or is non-existent
svnrdump: E175008: At least one property change failed; repository is unchanged
svnrdump: E175002: Error setting property 'rdump-lock':
Repository has not been enabled to accept revision propchanges;
ask the administrator to create a pre-revprop-change hook

In this case, a hook must be set up in the target SVN repository to enable the import.
Of course, this is only possible if you have access to the file system of the central Subversion server.
In this case, the executable file pre-revprop-change with exit 0 must be created in the hook directory. 
printf '#!/bin/sh
exit 0' > pre-revprop-change && chmod +x pre-revprop-change
The remote import should then run.

Question 14

Can I integrate SVN repositories into Redmine?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it's very easy.
It's best to create your own Redmine user in the SVN administration.
And add the user to the repositories you want to integrate with Redmine.
This user only needs read permissions in the SVN repositories.

In Redmine, now open the desired project in which you want to integrate the repository.
Now open the project configuration and select the "Repositories" tab.
Now add a new repository. As the URL, enter the URL for the repository from the Subversion administration. For username and password, enter the previously created Redmine user.
By clicking Create, the repository is integrated into the Redmine project.
In the project tab "Repository" you will now see the integrated SVN.

Question 15

Can Subversion hooks be used?

Accepted Answer

Yes.
There are already some preinstalled hook scripts that can be easily added to a repository.
For example, a hook script to send an email to all project participants when there is a successful commit.
Or a hook script to enable remote import of a dump file or to change a commit message afterwards.
If you need a hook with specific functionality that you cannot find with us, contact us and we will see how we can make it possible for you.

Question 16

Can I use two-factor authentication with SVN/Git?

Accepted Answer

Yes.
With our VCSAdmin management software, it's easy to enable and use two-factor authentication.
Using 2FA requires your username and password to log in, as well as a one-time code, such as from Google Authenticator, as a second factor.
The PAT (Personal Access Token) is used to access the repositories and is valid for a limited time to further increase security.

Question 17

Can I log in using Active Directory / Entra ID or LDAP?

Accepted Answer

Yes.
Integration with Active Directory or LDAP centralizes user management. Instead of creating and managing individual user accounts and passwords for SVN/Git and VCSAdmin, you can leverage existing accounts from the directory service. This significantly reduces administrative overhead.
The integration enables compliance with security policies defined in the directory service, such as password complexity, expiration dates, and account lockouts. If a user leaves the company or their account is locked, this change automatically takes effect for SVN/Git and VCSAdmin, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access. This is especially important for meeting compliance requirements.

Question 18

How do I migrate from an existing SVN server to SVN-Hoster?

Accepted Answer

The most reliable way is a standard dump/load migration. Create a full dump of your existing repository, create an empty repository in SVN-Hoster, and then load the dump into the new repository. Plan a short maintenance window so no new commits happen during the final dump. After the import, verify that revision history, tags, and branches are present, then update client URLs. If you want to keep downtime near zero, you can do a dry-run import first and only switch to the final dump for the cutover.

Question 19

Do you support SVN over HTTPS and SSH?

Accepted Answer

HTTPS is the standard and recommended transport for SVN because it works across networks and is easy to secure with certificates. SSH is typically used for server access or advanced workflows, but most teams use HTTPS for normal SVN operations. If you have a special requirement, we can advise on the best protocol for your setup.

Question 20

Can I restrict access by IP address or firewall rules?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can lock down access to specific IP ranges to reduce exposure. This is especially useful for corporate networks or CI systems. If you need help setting up an allowlist or want guidance on VPN access, contact us and we will help you choose the safest configuration.

Question 21

How does 2FA or PAT work for SVN access?

Accepted Answer

Two-factor authentication protects login to the management interface, while Personal Access Tokens (PATs) are used for repository access in SVN clients. You generate a token in the UI and use it in place of a password. Tokens can be limited in scope or time and can be revoked at any time, which makes it easy to rotate access without changing user passwords.

Question 22

Which SVN server versions are supported?

Accepted Answer

We run current, stable server versions and keep them updated for security and compatibility. SVN clients from common distributions (Windows, macOS, and Linux) work without special configuration. If you have a legacy client version, let us know and we can confirm compatibility before you migrate.

Question 23

How long are backups retained and how do I restore?

Accepted Answer

Backups are created daily and stored securely. Retention depends on your plan and compliance needs. If you need a restore, you can request it through support or the management UI (depending on your plan). We can restore a full repository or provide a backup for you to download and import locally.

Question 24

Are there limits on repository size, file size, or number of revisions?

Accepted Answer

Each plan includes a defined storage quota and user limit, but large repositories can be supported by upgrading storage in fixed increments. SVN itself handles large histories well, so revision count is not a practical limitation. If your repository contains very large files, we can recommend the best plan and storage configuration for performance and reliability.

Question 25

How do SVN hooks work in your hosting?

Accepted Answer

You can enable and manage common hooks directly in the browser. This includes pre-commit and post-commit hooks for validation, notifications, or automation. If you need a custom hook, we can help you set it up or advise on the best approach.

Question 26

What is the recommended SVN branching and tagging layout?

Accepted Answer

The standard approach is a top-level structure with /trunk, /branches, and /tags. Use trunk for ongoing development, branches for features or releases, and tags for immutable snapshots. This layout keeps history clear and makes releases easier to track and audit.

Question 27

Do you support repository mirroring or replication?

Accepted Answer

Most teams rely on daily backups instead of live replication. If you require geographic redundancy or near real-time replication, contact us and we can discuss options that fit your requirements and compliance constraints.

Question 28

What happens after the 7-day free trial ends?

Accepted Answer

At the end of the trial your account continues seamlessly on the selected plan, so there is no downtime and no migration step. If you decide not to continue, you can cancel before renewal and your data will be removed. We are happy to help you export your data if you need it.

Feature	Free Subversion	Subversion XS	Subversion S	Subversion M	Subversion L
Storage included	10MB	1250MB	3000MB	15000MB	35000MB
Monitoring	24/7 monitoring
User	2	10	25	Unlimited	Unlimited
Git Repositories
Own Domain
SSL
Backups
Subversion Hooks
Availability	> 99.9%
Price / billing	- €0.00 / Month	yearly €2.50 / Month	yearly €5.99 / Month	monthly €19.99 / Month yearly €16.66 / Month	monthly €49.99 / Month yearly €41.66 / Month
Cancellation	Automatic Renewal for a further term unless cancelled at least 30 days before renewal.
Instant access	Instant Access to your Hosting 7-day free trial, no credit card.
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