Exploring the Google Hosting with SVN

About code.google.com
Google provides a great open source development environment to users with free cost. Google also provides SVN server, Mailing lists, and Issue tracker. In order to access to SVN server, we need to install a SVN client program that will works on our operating system. SVN client program is so useful and powerful when we need to work on a network-based team project.

How to Install an SVN Client?
SVN Client can be downloaded from below depends on the operating system.

For Windows: http://tortoisesvn.net/downloads
For Mac: http://www.syntevo.com/smartsvn/download.html

I am a Window user, so I downloaded tortoiseSVN and all installation went smoothly. However, after the installation, tortoiseSVN requests users to restart the computer because the tortoiseSVN is a shell extension that means it is integrated into the Windows explorer. To use tortoiseSVN, we can open a Windows Explorer and right-click on any folder we like to bring up the context.

How to Modify an Existing Google Project?
In order to check out a project from Google Project, we need to be a member of a project at code.google.com. We can see a "SVN Check out" menu after open a Windows Explorer and right-click on any folder. The address I used to download the stack projece was http://code.google.com/p/stack-johnson/. After the Check out, the first thing we need to do is that make sure that the "verify" target passes. If the "verify" target passes, we are ready to fix the project. From given project, I found few checkstyle errors and fixed it. After the improving the original project, we need to "verify" target still passes so that other project members can keep developing after we commit the improved project.

How to Create a new Google Hosting Project?
In order to create a project on code.google.com, we need to have a Google account. Creating a new Google Hosting is easy to follow and pretty straightforward. We need to decide a project name, summary for the project, description, source code licence and Labels when we create a new project. After the creating a new project on Google, we can invite another member to the project. we can also using mailing lists when there is new commit or issue changes.