How To Install Subversion On Mac OS X: 11 Steps (with Pictures)

Skip to ContentQuizzes

• PRO Courses Hot Guides Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade
• QUIZZES All Quizzes Hot Love Quizzes Personality Quizzes Trivia Quizzes Taylor Swift Quizzes
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help ProAbout UsRandom ArticleQuizzes Request a New ArticleCommunity DashboardTrendingForums Arts and EntertainmentArtworkBooksMoviesComputers and ElectronicsComputersPhone SkillsTechnology HacksHealthMen's HealthMental HealthWomen's HealthRelationshipsDatingLoveRelationship Issues Hobbies and CraftsCraftsDrawingGamesEducation & CommunicationCommunication SkillsPersonal DevelopmentStudyingPersonal Care and StyleFashionHair CarePersonal Hygiene Quizzes Love Quizzes Personality Quizzes Fun Games ForumsArts and EntertainmentFinance and BusinessHome and Garden Relationship QuizzesCars & Other VehiclesFood and EntertainingPersonal Care and Style Sports and FitnessComputers and ElectronicsHealthPets and Animals TravelEducation & CommunicationHobbies and CraftsPhilosophy and Religion Work WorldFamily LifeHolidays and TraditionsRelationships Youth
• LOG IN

  Log in

  Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. Facebook Google wikiHow Account No account yet? Create an account
• RANDOM

• Home
• Random
• Browse Articles
• TrendingNew
• Quizzes & Games
• All QuizzesHot
• Love Quizzes
• Personality Quizzes
• Fun Games
• Dating Simulator
• Learn Something New
• Forums
• Courses
• Happiness Hub
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow

• Log in / Sign up

Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow

• Categories
• Computers and Electronics
• Operating Systems
• Mac
• Mac OS X

How to Install Subversion on Mac OS X Download Article Author Info

Last Updated: October 2, 2025 Tested

Download Article

• Installing
|
• Set Up
|
• Tips

|Show more |Show less X

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 20 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed 968,644 times. Learn more...

Subversion, sometimes called SVN, is an open-source system that remembers every change made to your files and directories. It can be helpful if you'd like to track how your documents have changed over time or to recover an older version of a file. Start at Step 1 for detailed instructions for installing Subversion on Mac OS X.

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 2:

Installing

Download Article

1. 1 Navigate to http://subversion.apache.org/packages.html#osx. There you will find a number of binaries that you can download, each having various requirements. Pick the one most appropriate for your needs.
2. 2 Unzip the .pkg file. It should create a Subversion installer on your desktop. Double click that file, and follow the installation steps as directed. Advertisement
3. 3 Open the Terminal, located in the Utilities folder. Alternately, search in Spotlight for Terminal. Enter the following at the [username]$ prompt:
   • svn [enter]
   • If that returns "Type 'svn help' for usage," then svn is working correctly.
   • If /usr/local/bin is not in your path, edit your .profile and add a line like the following:
     • export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin
   • Open another Terminal window and try again with: svn [enter]
Advertisement

Part 2 Part 2 of 2:

Set Up

Download Article

1. 1 Set up an SVN server. You will need this to distribute a Subversion project.
2. 2 Launch Terminal, then create a directory called svnroot in your account directory, as follows: mkdir svnroot
   • Type: svnadmin create /Users/[your username]/svnroot
   • That creates your server!
3. 3Use the svn server with Terminal. You can checkout in the terminal with this command: svn checkout file:///Users/[your username]/svnroot
   • For remote access, enable "ssh access" (in System Preferences/Sharing) and checkout with: svn checkout svn+ssh://my.domain.com/Users/[your username]/svnroot
4. 4 Set up a Subversion client. For example, svnX supports all current versions of Mac OS X from 10.5 to 10.8. You can get it at http://code.google.com.
5. 5 After the download, start SVNx and you will see two windows named Working Copies and Repositories. Under Repositories, add the URL und Login Data from the SVN Server.
   • Open the window; if you get an error, check the LogIn.
   • Switch to the Terminal and type: svn import -m "your Import message" /my/local/project/path /my/remote/svn/repository This command adds all files from the local Project to the SVN Server.
   • Add the path of your SVN repository (from the SVN server) to the list in the Working Copy window in SVNx.
6. 6 In SVNx open your working copy. When you're working on this Project, you will see your modifications here.
7. 7 Test it. Make a small modification on your working copy, then refresh the Working Copy window.
   • SVNx displays all files with modifications. Press the Commit button to add it to the SVN Server Repository.
8. 8 If you prefer to work on the Subversion repository directly from the Finder, consider using either SCPlugin or SVN Scripts for Finder.
Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search Add New Question Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement

Tips

• Various additional documentation exists in the doc/ subdirectory of the Subversion source. See the file doc/README for more information. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• The primary documentation for Subversion is the free book Version Control with Subversion, a.k.a. "The Subversion Book." You can get it from http://svnbook.red-bean.com/ Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

You Might Also Like

How toUse SSH How to Install VirtualBox: Easy Guide for Beginners How to Install and Use Telnet on macOS 3 Quick & Easy Ways to Clone a GitHub Repository (With Pictures) How toConnect to a Server on a Mac How toInstall Steam How toRun a Program from the Command Line on Linux How toOpen Applications Using Terminal on Mac How to Download Visual Studio Code How to Import a Repository on GitHub How toInstall Software on a Mac How toUse Linux How toRun Ruby Code How toInstall the Java Software Development Kit Advertisement

References

1. Version Control with Subversion - The Subversion Book
2. [http:// weblogs.asp.net/fmarguerie/archive/2005/04/27/404793.aspx SVN Servers] - A SVN Server List
3. O'REILLY MacDevCenter Subversion Tutorial

About This Article

Tested by: wikiHow Technology Team wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 20 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 968,644 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 20 Updated: October 2, 2025 Views: 968,644 Categories: Mac OS X In other languages Spanish Italian Russian Indonesian Dutch

• Print
• Send fan mail to authors

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 968,644 times.

Is this article up to date?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Tested by: wikiHow Technology Team Click a star to vote Co-authors: 20 Updated: October 2, 2025 Views: 968,644

Quizzes & Games

Only High IQ People Will Know 100% Of These Vocab WordsTake QuizIQ TestTake QuizBible Trivia QuizTake QuizWhat Color Should I Dye My Hair QuizTake QuizAm I Ready for College QuizTake QuizWhat Makeup Should I Wear QuizTake Quiz

You Might Also Like

How toUse SSHHow to Install VirtualBox: Easy Guide for BeginnersHow to Install and Use Telnet on macOS3 Quick & Easy Ways to Clone a GitHub Repository (With Pictures)

Featured Articles

What Does It Mean If Someone Tries to Kill You in Your Dream?200+ Best Questions to Ask Someone You Like (Texting & IRL)How Beautiful Am I Quiz13 Types of Hairlines for Men and Women (And How to Maintain Yours)Which of the 8 Face Shapes Do You Have? Helpful Tips & Style GuidanceMental Illness Test

Trending Articles

Let Us Rate You 1-10: Attractiveness Scale QuizAm I a Gigachad or Totally Chopped?How Rare Is My Birthday QuizHow Nonchalant Am I QuizCan We Guess If You're Single or Taken?How toMake Out

Featured Articles

How toEnjoy the HolidaysHow to Get 250 Grams of Protein Daily: Best Foods, Meal Plans & MoreAm I Girly Quiz200 Fun, Flirty, & Deep Questions to Get to Know a Guy BetterHow to Tighten Skin Under Your Chin: Natural or Surgical OptionsWhat Would My Nickname Be Quiz

Featured Articles

21 Common Hand Signs & Gestures (& What They Mean)170+ Best Useless Facts That Sound Like LiesIs He Interested In Me Quiz15 Signs Your Ex Misses You (and What to Do About It)How to Observe Hanukkah (From Candle Lighting to Latke Frying)165+ "You Are Special" Quotes For Friends, Family, Partners & More

Watch Articles

How toWrap a Round GiftHow toSteam in an OvenHow to Make Plant-Based Meat: 4 Incredible RecipesHow toClean a Silver Necklace4 Easy Ways to Open a Can of SodaHow toPart Your Hair

Trending Articles

Have I Met My Soulmate Yet Quiz180 Good Comebacks & Savage Roasts to Win Any ArgumentAm I a Furry QuizWhat Are the Gay Male Body Types (And Which Do You Have?)What Should My Name Really Be QuizRandom Fortune Generator

Quizzes & Games

What Would My Life Be Like in Harry Potter QuizTake QuizTaylor Swift Trivia QuizTake QuizWould I Be a Good Super Spy QuizTake QuizWhat Tarot Card Am I QuizTake QuizWhich Masculine Archetype Am I QuizTake QuizGeneral Knowledge QuizTake Quiz

• Categories
• Computers and Electronics
• Operating Systems
• Mac
• Mac OS X

wikiHow Newsletter You're all set! Helpful how-tos delivered toyour inbox every week! Sign me up! By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy.

• Home
• About wikiHow
• Experts
• Jobs
• Contact Us
• Site Map
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info
• Contribute

Follow Us

×

Keep up with the latest tech with wikiHow's free Tech Help Newsletter

Subscribe You're all set! X --474