- Home
- Version Control Software
- BitKeeper
BitKeeper
What it is
BitKeeper is a distributed source management system for version controlling software projects. It is free and open source under the Apache 2.0 License, with support for Windows, macOS, Linux and self-hosted deployment. BK/Nested divides large repositories into sub-repositories while keeping changesets, libraries and configuration files aligned with the full code base. Its Binary Asset Manager provides local storage for large items such as videos, photos, artwork, office files and CAD files. BitKeeper records who changed source, when and from which computer, along with comments. Its maker says auto-merge uses project history to resolve conflicts, while filesystem access to revision-controlled data uses checksums and data is written with redundant encoding to detect and correct common failures. Developers can use graphical tools or the command line; the tutorial says all operations are available from the command line. The download page offers a self-paced demo with a sample repository that takes about 30 minutes. It also says users can clone the last released BitKeeper source with Git. The maker notes that BitKeeper is not the right choice for every project and that Git is an excellent solution for many use cases.
For and against
For
- Free under the Apache 2.0 License
- Distributed versioning with file locking
- Native handling for large files
- Supports Windows, macOS, Linux and self-hosting
- Graphical tools and command-line access
Against
- Maker says it is not the best choice for every project
- Maker notes Git suits many use cases
The verdict
BitKeeper offers distributed version control, nested repositories and large-asset handling for software projects. Its maker cautions that it does not suit every project, so teams should weigh their project needs.
Who it suits
BitKeeper may suit software teams managing large projects, nested repositories or large binary assets. It offers both graphical tools and command-line operation across desktop and self-hosted environments.
Plans and prices
BitKeeper
Open Source under the Apache 2.0 License
Read 7 Oct 2026 · bitkeeper.org
On the record
- Audit history
- The maker says BitKeeper records who made each source change, when, from which computer, and with what comments.bitkeeper.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Binary assets
- BitKeeper’s Binary Asset Manager provides local storage as needed for large binary assets such as videos, photos, artwork, office files, and CAD files.bitkeeper.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Integration
- The download page says users can clone the last released BitKeeper source with Git.bitkeeper.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Integrity
- The maker says filesystem accesses to revision-controlled data use checksums and data is written with redundant encoding to detect and correct common failures.bitkeeper.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Interfaces
- The tutorial says BitKeeper has a command-line interface and graphical tools, and that all operations can be done from the command line.bitkeeper.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Large projects
- The maker describes BitKeeper as designed for commercial development projects and suitable for very large projects.bitkeeper.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- License
- The site says BitKeeper is open source under the Apache 2.0 License.bitkeeper.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Merge behavior
- The maker describes BitKeeper’s auto-merge as using the whole history to resolve conflicts.bitkeeper.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Nested repositories
- BK/Nested organizes large repositories into sub-repositories whose changesets, libraries, and configuration files stay in sync with the full code base.bitkeeper.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Notable limitation
- The maker says BitKeeper is not the best choice for every project and notes that Git is an excellent solution for many use cases.bitkeeper.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Support and learning
- The download page offers a self-paced demo with a sample repository that takes about 30 minutes to complete.bitkeeper.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- What it does
- BitKeeper is a distributed source management system for version controlling software projects.bitkeeper.org · read 7 Oct 2026
