A repository is just a fancy way for saying a place to store your data much like an FTP server. What makes using one so important is that you create versions of files so that you can always roll back if you make mistakes. The WordPress.org site contains some very good information on How To Use Subversion to create / contribute to a plugin…if you are a fan of command line tools. Some people probably prefer that approach – just like using vi as a text editor. However, I find graphical based user interfaces easier and more efficient to use.

This tutorial is for those who – like me – use Dreamweaver for web development and want to maintain their plugin code on the WordPress repository through it. For those who use Eclipse, you can follow a similar process using SubClipse. The two key pieces of the puzzle are:

• TortoiseSVN – An SVN client for Windows that makes version management simple.
• SubWeaver – A Dreamweaver extension to integrate SVN commands through Tortoise.

Setup your WordPress.org account and plugin repository

The first thing you will want to do is go to WordPress.org > Extend > Plugins and register for an account. The contact information (name, email, website, etc) you provide will show up with any plugins that you create or contribute to.

Since you’re on the site and ready to start your first plugin, go to the Add a Plugin form and provide the appropriate details (name, description, url). Note that it may take 24 – 48 hours for your plugin request to be approved, but this will create a new repository for your plugin.

Install Tortoise and SubWeaver

Download and install Tortoise SVN from http://tortoisesvn.tigris.org. You will have to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.  After that has completed, you will want to download and install Subweaver from http://code.google.com/p/subweaver/

When you are looking at the file explorer in Dreamweaver, you will now see a new SubWeaver sub-menu that I will explain the primary uses of it as we go along.

Create a local repository

You will need a folder on your hard drive to store the plugin files / folders. Find the folder in Windows Explorer and right-click on it to select SVN Checkout. You will have to add the repository information which was specified when you completed the Add a Plugin form. The repository path should start with http://svn.wp-plugins.org/ as the image at right shows for Idealien Category Enhancements.

You could do this through Dreamweaver directly, however I prefer to do the initial checkout by Tortoise so that when I create the site in Dreamweaver it already contains the standard SVN structure.

Understanding the structure of a repository

There are 3 different locations where you can place code which are loosely based on the analogy of a tree:

• Trunk represents the area where your active development goes. When starting your plugin, it will be where you add your first files. It is the latest and greatest so might not be ready for public consumption.
• Tags are for specific versions of your plugin. Any time you commit significant changes to your trunk (i.e. a new version) you should create a new tag and update the readme.txt file to indicate what the newest release is. I have gotten into the habit of developing on a separate WP installation (easier for testing, debug, etc) and as a result the code in the trunk usually mirrors the most up to date tag available.
• Branches are for working on enhancements or code you would like others to beta test or build in isolation of other functionality. When you’re satisfied with a particular branch, you will have to merge the changes into the trunk. Smaller scope plugins usually won’t use branches.

Or as the wordpress.org site puts it:

Each time you make a formal release of your plugin, you should tag a copy of that release’s code. This lets your users easily grab the latest (or an older) version, it lets you keep track of changes more easily, and lets the WordPress.org Plugin Directory know what version of your plugin it should tell people to download.

Add, Modify, Delete or just Commit!

You now have a link between the repository and your local computer. Work with the files on your local PC until you are satisfied and ready to commit them to the repository.

• Highlight all of the files that you have modified.
• Right click and chose to SubWeaver > Commit
• Dreamweaver will show you the SVN log in which it compares every file on your PC against the repositor and the action (add, modify, delete) it did to the version in the repository as well.
• If you want to ensure you don’t miss anything, select the top-level folder for your plugin and then commit. Note that if you do this and you have added / deleted any files, you will have to specifically check their checkbox under the changes made window.

The update process on the repository server will take a few minutes to show up in the Plugin Directory.

Updates and Merges

The work scenario I described above is written on the assumption that you are the only one editing files for your plugin. If you are collaborating on another plugin, before you start to work on changes you will want to execute an SVN update to ensure you have pulled the latest files from the server to your local PC.

It is possible (read: likely) that at some point in time you will encounter a scenario where someone else has updated the files which you are working on in between when you updated your files and when you went to commit. You now must merge your changes with theirs which is the bane of many developers. While Tortoise / SubWeaver do have tools built in to compare files, I have found that WinMerge is a better tool built specifically for this task. You can install it and configure it with Tortoise under the Settings > External Programs menu.

• “I have a full understanding of my employers systems and how they operate. It would take time train a new employee to be able to support all the systems that I am can handle. I deserve a raise.”
• “The knowledge that I have is more valuable because I am now an expert in my field so I will start charging future clients a higher rate.”
• “Certain activities now take me less time per project to complete because I am more efficient with the tools I use. I won’t change my rates but I will be earning more per hour as a result.”

Each of these statements is reactionary in nature – the potential for increased profits is based on the knowledge or experience you have gained in the past. You might arrive at financial success through one or more of these approaches, but you aren’t planning for it. I believe that the most important factor to the future or success of my business is to always pay attention to it. I try to approach every decision or new business opportunity with the mindset that I am not only solving one challenge for one client, but every future client I might ever have!

Standardize your tools

Familiarity breeds efficiency! The farther along the learning curve you are with a software / service, the more output you can generate with it per hour. Keyboard shortcuts, code snippets or recorded actions for batch processes all allow you to be more productive. A good indicator of your comfort with a tool is when your thought processes change from wondering where you would do X to having ideas or theories where it probably should be done. After all, the less time you spend googling or reading tutorials, the more time you can spend working for your clients.

Don’t re-invent the wheel if you don’t have to

There will always be some cases where 100% custom solutions are a better fit than any off-the-shelf product. However, many open source projects available probably offer 80% of the functionality you need on a given project. How much sense does it make to start from scratch instead of just customizing the 20% which doesn’t fit your needs. Especially if you’re an agency of one, relying on a platform built by a community of like-minded individuals allows you to focus on more important aspects of your business.

There are added potential business benefits to contributing to an open-source platform too. A few of the reasons I have chosen to focus my development efforts on WordPress are:

• Releasing themes or plugins will lead to more links to my site from the community
• Increased traffic equals increased potential clients who would need or recommend my services
• Customization opportunities from people who want modifications but cannot do it themselves
• Future development opportunities from people who have enjoyed my other works and need something new developed.

Template EVERYTHING!

Every part of a business process can – in theory – be templated to some degree to save you time and/or energy:

• Messages to clients informing them of your standard working process
• Boiler plate responses to requests for information or the typical questions you ask a new client
• Placeholder content elements for wireframing in Illustrator
• Photoshop styles that you use on a regular basis
• Generic CSS templates to be customized to match a particular client design
• Business document templates – invoices, quotes, functional design, etc.
• Design document templates – business cards, t-shirts, web layouts (960 pixels, iPhone, etc)

Create a design repository

Is your mind is always racing with new ideas? Do you do mid-level mockups up 7 different logo concepts even though the client only asked for 2? Do you capture those ideas / concepts somewhere that can be used as reference in the future? I have gotten into the habit doing a review for such collateral at the end of every project along with documentation and invoicing. The less time I spend hunting for that concept I did for client X last year, the better.

Standardize your process

Now that you have document templates, canned emails, etc get into the habit of using (and updating) them consistently. Not only will it make your work life that much easier to manage, if you want to sub-contract work to someone else, you could send them the templates as a starting point to ensure consistent results. After all, “freelancing should be a springboard, not a treadmill”

What are some other ways that you plan now to make servicing all your future clients easier?