svn - Subversion - should anyone be developing off the trunk?

Question

When using Subversion, should developers be working off the trunk or should the trunk be only used for merges from each individual developer's branch and watched by a continuous integration service?

Answer 1

There are two basic strategies:

• unstable trunk - the trunk always contains the latest code, branches are made to do releases
• stable trunk - code is developed in branches and checked into the trunk only when fully tested and releases are performed from the trunk

Which you use is to certain extent a matter of personal preference. But alongside either of these, individual developers should be using branches for their own experimental developments.

So as usual, no definite answer!