Is using capistrano and subversion really worth?

[Skyblaze]

In the sitepoint's rails book when it talks about deployment it is used a simple method with which we clone the development database for the production one, install the mongrel server, configure accordingly apache and upload our application files to the server, stop. I mean this works perfectly. Why we should bother about version control systems, capistrano ssh etc.?

[ReggieB]

Personally, I think Capistrano makes sense if you have multiple web servers and do not have easy access to your server (they are remote - hosted on the Internet). If you host your application on a single server and have full access to it, I think there are easier ways to transfer files to the production server.

However, Subversion is definitely worth using and can be used on its own. Version control is essential to any development environment. It allows you to roll back to previous versions, branch development (so you can work on a modification without affecting your main code base if you want to), and makes it easy to collaborate with others. It also makes a handy back up system that is easy to dump and move. I work on my own, but subversion makes it easy to transfer working copies to other PC (like my home PC when I work from home) and synchronise development in two places.

Subversion is splendid.

Also if you develop on Windows, as I do, have a look at Tortoise SVN. It is a Windows Explorer plug-in that makes managing Subversion controlled files very easy.

[dhtmlgod]

I second the need for version control, no matter what size the development team! No matter how many people are working on a project, even if it's just you, version control should always be used!

[Skyblaze]

I second the need for version control, no matter what size the development team! No matter how many people are working on a project, even if it's just you, version control should always be used!

ok infact i'm reading the subversion red book

[ReggieB]

I'd also add, I have a good friend who rates Capistrano highly. However, he develops on Linux and needs to be able to deploy his application securely over SSL. In this environment, working out the Capistrano configuration effort is worthwhile for him and he finds it a very useful tool.

For me, who mainly uses Windows systems and develops entirely Intranet applications to a local Win2003 server, the extra faffing required is hard to justify.

[dhtmlgod]

Never really heard of Capistrano, but it looks similar to CC.NET?

[Fenrir2]

Version control is helpful even if you're the only programmer. It gives you easy undo. This helps doing big and "risky" refactoring, because you can undo if you screw up.

[ReggieB]

Never really heard of Capistrano, but it looks similar to CC.NET?

There is information on the ruby on rails main site:

http://manuals.rubyonrails.com/read/book/17

[jpease]

As others have said, Capistrano and Subversion are both useful (although mostly unrelated).

You may also wish to consider Vlad the Deployer in place of Capistrano. They have some differences to how they approach things, and being aware of your options never hurts.

[Skyblaze]

so in the simplest case i can use subversion on my own development machine(laptop) to manage the apps code and then i can do an easy deploy (like the one in the patrick's book) to the server.

[samsm]

For ...

~$10/month - cheap host like Dreamhost
or
free - specialty host like assembla

... you can have a remote repository that will survive in the event that your laptop catches fire. If the remote host catches fire, you'll still have the local copy. Small small small price for peace of mind.

[arran]

Capistrano is definitely worth te time to set up. You only need to do it once then it makes it really easy to push any changes you make to your server.