Subversion (also known as "SVN") is a free, centralized version control system. This is a part of the Apache Software Foundation projects and is officially called Apache Subversion.

Subversion exists to be universally recognized and adopted as an open-source, centralized version control system characterized by its reliability as a safe haven for valuable data, the simplicity of its model and usage, and its ability to support the needs of a wide variety of users and projects, from individuals to large-scale enterprise operations.

It has been designed as a better CVS clone. But Subversion grew further and has outgrown its goal of replacing CVS. Still, its basic model, design, and interface remain heavily influenced by that goal.

CVS is a relatively basic version control system. For the most part, Subversion has matched or exceeded CVS's feature set where those features continue to apply in Subversion's particular design.