Microsoft Visual SourceSafe vs Mercurial SCM

Struggling to choose between Microsoft Visual SourceSafe and Mercurial SCM? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Microsoft Visual SourceSafe is a Development solution with tags like source-code, versioning, multiuser.

It boasts features such as Version control system for source code, Check-in/check-out capabilities, Version history and ability to roll back changes, Multi-user access with security controls, Integration with Visual Studio IDE, File locking to prevent conflicts, Branching and merging support, Centralized repository and pros including Easy to learn and use, Tight integration with Microsoft ecosystem, Good performance for small to midsize teams, Handles text files well, Low cost compared to other commercial options.

On the other hand, Mercurial SCM is a Development product tagged with distributed, open-source, crossplatform.

Its standout features include Distributed version control, Efficient branching and merging, Secure decentralized repositories, Powerful integrations, Scales from small to large projects, and it shines with pros like Free and open source, Fast and efficient performance, Strong support for branching and merging, Decentralized model provides flexibility, Powerful extension ecosystem.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Microsoft Visual SourceSafe

Microsoft Visual SourceSafe

Microsoft Visual SourceSafe is a version control system that allows software teams to manage source code changes. It provides versioning, check-in/check-out capabilities, and supports multi-user access.

Categories:
source-code versioning multiuser

Microsoft Visual SourceSafe Features

  1. Version control system for source code
  2. Check-in/check-out capabilities
  3. Version history and ability to roll back changes
  4. Multi-user access with security controls
  5. Integration with Visual Studio IDE
  6. File locking to prevent conflicts
  7. Branching and merging support
  8. Centralized repository

Pricing

  • One-time Purchase
  • Subscription-Based (for some versions)

Pros

Easy to learn and use

Tight integration with Microsoft ecosystem

Good performance for small to midsize teams

Handles text files well

Low cost compared to other commercial options

Cons

Limited scalability for large projects/teams

No distributed version control support

Less robust merging and branching capabilities

Proprietary lock-in to Microsoft stack

No longer under active development


Mercurial SCM

Mercurial SCM

Mercurial is a free, distributed source control management tool for efficiently handling projects large and small. It provides robust branching and merging, secure decentralized repositories, and powerful integrations.

Categories:
distributed open-source crossplatform

Mercurial SCM Features

  1. Distributed version control
  2. Efficient branching and merging
  3. Secure decentralized repositories
  4. Powerful integrations
  5. Scales from small to large projects

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Fast and efficient performance

Strong support for branching and merging

Decentralized model provides flexibility

Powerful extension ecosystem

Cons

Steeper learning curve than some systems

Weaker Windows support than Linux/Mac

Smaller community than Git or SVN

Lacks some features of paid options