# Best Practices for using SVN with Plugins **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [September 30, 2006, 5:04pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/best-practices-for-using-svn-with-plugins/70586 "2006-09-30T17:04:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ldk2005](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/d9b06d/32.png) [@ldk2005](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ldk2005)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2006, 5:04pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/best-practices-for-using-svn-with-plugins/70586/1 "2006-09-30T17:04:28Z")
I’ve noticed that most plugins are available from SVN repositories. I’m using SVN to manage my project code. I have been using the -x option because it allowed me to easily get the latest changes to the plugins. But, when I went to another computer, and attempted to checkout my project from another computer, it failed when grabbing one of the plugins. Aparently, a plugin vendor changed their repository url. So, I’m wondering whether it is better to install plugins using the SVN -x (external) option, or to checkout the plugin directly? I’d like to know how others are/have delt with this issue. – Best Regards, -Larry “Work, work, work…there is no satisfactory alternative.” — E.Taft Benson ---
**Author:** ![ldk2005](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/d9b06d/32.png) [@ldk2005](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ldk2005)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 3:42pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/best-practices-for-using-svn-with-plugins/70586/2 "2006-10-01T15:42:46Z")
Hi, Larry It all depends on how stable the plugin is, and how much you trust the author to maintain backwards compatibility. Personally, I only install with the -x option when I’m installing my plugins from my svn server. Cheers - Starr – [www.thebootstrapnation.com](http://www.thebootstrapnation.com) - Where business and code collide. ---
**Author:** ![ldk2005](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/d9b06d/32.png) [@ldk2005](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ldk2005)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/best-practices-for-using-svn-with-plugins/70586/3 "2006-10-01T16:32:49Z")
Personally I never use this because a rails upgrade might (and has) broken plugin functionality. It’s better to upgrade manually with another checkout. Vish ---
**Author:** ![ldk2005](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/d9b06d/32.png) [@ldk2005](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ldk2005)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/best-practices-for-using-svn-with-plugins/70586/4 "2006-10-01T17:14:52Z")
On 10/1/06, Vishnu G. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Personally I never use this because a rails upgrade might (and has) broken > plugin functionality. It’s better to upgrade manually with another checkout. > > Vish Try Piston: [http://weblog.techno-weenie.net/2006/9/18/keeping-rails-plugins-up-to-date](http://weblog.techno-weenie.net/2006/9/18/keeping-rails-plugins-up-to-date) – Rick O. [http://weblog.techno-weenie.net](http://weblog.techno-weenie.net) [http://mephistoblog.com](http://mephistoblog.com) ---
**Author:** ![ldk2005](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/d9b06d/32.png) [@ldk2005](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ldk2005)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 11:12am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/best-practices-for-using-svn-with-plugins/70586/5 "2006-10-02T11:12:27Z")
Rick: seems nice 🙂 Would be better if it had a ‘piston rollback’ also 😉 Thanks! Vish ---
**Author:** ![ldk2005](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/d9b06d/32.png) [@ldk2005](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ldk2005)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 6:51pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/best-practices-for-using-svn-with-plugins/70586/6 "2006-10-01T18:51:16Z")
For anything I use in my application, I keep my own svn copy of the plugin (and even rails). Then I can upgrade when I have/want to, but I always know that I have working code that I tested. Those plugins are installed in the app using an external setting of svn. So I have one trusted source, and when needed I just update my repository with the latest plugin. This has an additional advantage of letting me tag versions with the matching plugin. So that if I have a future version using a newer rails and a newer set of plugins, I can easilly go back to a previous version, knowing that every tag is stable. Bye, Guy. On 9/30/06, Larry K. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > – > Best Regards, > -Larry > “Work, work, work…there is no satisfactory alternative.” > — E.Taft Benson > > > – Family management on rails: [http://www.famundo.com](http://www.famundo.com) - coming soon! My development related blog: [http://devblog.famundo.com](http://devblog.famundo.com)