Maintenance

Version Control and Configuration Management

Configuration item: A configuration item is a single software item that is individually identifiable as a logical entity. A configuration item can be atomic, like documents and modules, or composite, like libraries and systems.

Version: A version is one specific instance of a configuration item. It provides a stable referencing mechanism for the management of configuration items. All versions but working versions are frozen, i.e. they cannot be changed without creating a new version.

Revision: A revision is the kind of version that is a step in the evolution of a configuration item; it supersedes an earlier version and may contain arbitrary changes compared with its predecessor. Typically, it is created to fix bugs or to support permanent changes.

Variant: Variants are alternative versions of a configuration item. They remain valid at a given instant in time and are typically created to handle environmental differences. A collection of variants of configuration items taken from specified revision levels defines the version-set.