Can I use TortoiseSVN 1.8.9 client for SubVersion server 1.8.9

Question

From what I understand, there is a direct relationship between TortoiseSVN client versions and the SVN server versions as evident in their executable installer file names located in sourceforge.net

For example,

1. TortoiseSVN-1.8.7.25475-x64-svn-1.8.9.msi
   • Tortoise SVN client version 1.8.7 compatible with SVN server 1.8.9
2. TortoiseSVN-1.8.12.26645-x64-svn-1.8.14.msi
   • Tortoise SVN client version 1.8.12 compatible with SVN server 1.8.14

Our SVN server version is 1.8.9. So, we we have been using Tortoise SVN client version 1.8.7. We realized today that Tortoise SVN client version 1.8.7 is no longer available in sourceforge.net. It now has 1.8.9, 1.8.12 and 1.9.x versions only.

Since Tortoise SVN client 1.8.7 is not available, can we use a higher version of the client 1.8.9 for SVN server version 1.8.9.

I could not find compatibility matrix for TortoiseSVN client and SVN server versions. Or, is it that there is no relationship between the TortoiseSVN client and SVN server versions at all? In which case too, compatibility matrix would certainly help.

Apparently, there are major changes in SVN server version 1.5 and 1.8. So, some versions of clients do not work well with some versions of server. For example, http://tortoisesvn.net/tsvn_1.8_releasenotes.html#compatibility. Hence the confusion/concern.

When I check compatibility in this case, I meant to ask will the client be able to use all the features provided by server. Or will there be any limitations or loss of functionality if a recommended version of client is NOT used for a specific version of server.

I have copy of the executable that I can share with whoever in the team requires it. But that's not the kind of answer I am looking for :)

Answer 1

As long as you are using the http(s), svn or svn+ssh protocol, all 1.x clients are compatible with all 1.x servers.

Only the features which are present in the lowest-version component (client or server) will be used - IOW, lowest common denominator. This should not be a significant impediment to usage today.

Answer 2

Follow-up to Patrick's answer

there is a direct relationship between TortoiseSVN client versions and the SVN server versions

No... TSVN versioning is slightly different from versioning of Subversion (due to some reasons) in build-part of version number and filename of TortoiseSVN installer (and text in "About" box) just mention Subversion under the hood, on which every version of TortoiseSVN (just GUI for Subversion per se) is based and not restrict you in using (almost any) version of Subversion on server-side

Answer 3

There are no feature compatibility concerns when both client and server are the same minor version (e.g. 1.8). Both the Subversion and TortoiseSVN projects use minor release updates (e.g. 1.8.0 to 1.8.1) to fix bugs and not to introduce or remove features.

This versioning scheme is outlined in Subversion's inter-release compatibility guidelines, and your question is addressed:

Upgrading/downgrading between different patch releases in the same MAJOR.MINOR line never breaks code. It may cause bugfixes to disappear/reappear, but API signatures and semantics remain the same. (Of course, the semantics may change in the trivial ways appropriate for bugfixes, just not in ways that would force adjustments in calling code

You can also check the Subversion feature compatibility chart for the 1.8 release. It does not discriminate between versions of 1.8 client and server.

Note that TortoiseSVN uses the Subversion APIs to communicate with the server, so for client/server compatibility we only need to consider the Subversion versions.