Why and how to use version control with an ExpressionEngine website. Version control is essential to good development practices, but setting it up with a database-driven website can be tricky.

1. VersionEEring
Why and how to use version
control with ExpressionEngine.

2. What is version control?

3. What is version control?
A program that tracks changes to files and
folders for you.

4. Also goes by these
names.
Source Control Manager (SCM)
Revision Control System (RCS)
Version Control System (VCS)
That-Thing-That-Just-Saved-My-Ass

5. Different flavors?
Yup. Each has its own way of tracking your
changes. Here are a few:
CVS - SVN - Git - Mercurial - Bazaar
Darcs - Perforce - Fossil - BitKeeper
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_revision_control_software

6. What kinds of files?
Text! But also:
Graphics
Binary
WHATEVER YOU WANT.

7. Why use version control?

8. Because
this
sucks.

9. Because
this
sucks.

10. Because this really,
really sucks.

11. How to get started.
No servers, nothing fancy -
this is all local, baby. So no excuses.

12. 1. Pick a system.
We’re going with Git.

13. 2. Install it on your
computer.
http://git-scm.com/download

14. 3. Set up a repository
for your existing project.
$
cd
~/Sites/myproject Change to the project folder.
$
git
init Initialize the repository.
$
git
add
. Add everything in the project folder
to the repository.
$
git
commit
-­‐m
"Initial
commit." Make your first commit.

15. 4. Make some changes,
and commit them.
$
git
status Tell me what’s changed. (New file!)
$
git
add
index.html Add the new file to the repository.
$
git
status Tell me what’s changed. (Just making
sure we didn’t miss anything.)
$
git
commit
-­‐m
"Added
homepage." Commit the change.

16. 5. Rinse and repeat until
you’re ready to share.

17. A Basic Workflow
One way to use version control in practice,
with actual live websites.

18. 1. Define your
environments.
Some popular ones:
- Local
- Development (overkill for team of one)
- Staging (can be same as Development)
- Live

20. Workflow show ‘n tell

21. Git and EE, sitting in a tree.

22. Gotcha #1:
Paths.
Let’s play with settings!

23. 1. Make all paths in the
Control Panel relative.
EE1: Admin > System Preferences > General
Configuration
EE2: Admin > General Configuration

24. Don’t forget uploaded files
and generated images.
EE1:
Admin > System Preferences > Captcha Preferences
(Each upload destination) Admin >Channel
Administration > File Upload Preferences
(Each channel) Admin > Channel Administration >
Channel Management > Edit Channel Preferences
EE2: Admin > Content Administration > File Upload
Preferences

25. Gotcha #2:
Environment variables.
Let’s play with config files!

26. Gotcha #3:
User-generated files.
Keeping filesystems in sync.

27. Gotcha #4:
Databases.
Pick your poison.

28. Further Resources
New to version control? Check out Version Control
for Designers: http://hoth.entp.com/output/git_for_designers.html
Not new to version control, but new to Git? Check
out Git Reference: http://gitref.org/
More on the topic of Git and EE:
http://gititon.masugadesign.com/ <-- A++
WOULD RECOMMEND
http://j.mp/ee2multiserver