TestComplete provides special features for working with projects bound to source control systems. You can easily use TestComplete as a client for your source control system. Without leaving the TestComplete IDE, you can bind test projects to a source control system, check the desired files in and out, and so on. However, there are tasks that are specific to the native client and tasks that you can perform both from TestComplete and from the source control client. This topic explains which tasks require that the native client be installed on your machine and which do not.
When Installing TestComplete Is Enough
When you need to add a project to a source control system, you can easily do this without installing a native client for your source control system. You can do this directly from TestComplete using the special Source Control menu. Also, using TestComplete is very helpful as you do not have to switch to the source control client each time you change a project and want to check them in, or when you need to check the desired files out from the database. This approach saves your time and frees you from installing additional software. Also, when you add a project directly from TestComplete, it saves space in your database as TestComplete does not add all the project files to the source control system. For instance, there is no need to store project logs in the source control system. For a complete list of files TestComplete adds to the source control system, see List of Files Added to Source Code Control.
Also, TestComplete includes several options that let you perform specific tasks in projects bound to a source control system. For example, you can command TestComplete to automatically check out files on open and check them in on close. For more information on available options, see Source Control Options Dialog.
If you need to merge several versions of one name mapping file, you can also use TestComplete. For more information on merging files with TestComplete, see Merging Files (Legacy).
When Native Client Is Required
Along with the tasks mentioned above, native source control clients allow performing specific tasks like resolving conflicts in files, modifying history of changes and so on. These tasks require that the native client be installed on your machine as you cannot perform them using TestComplete.
Yet, if you install the TortoiseSVN, TortoiseGit or TortoiseHg client, then you may invoke these clients from TestComplete to perform some of these specific tasks.
See Also
Integration With Source Control Systems
List of Files Added to Source Code Control