access level

A permission assigned to a user to control which Perforce commands the user can execute. See protections.

atomic change
transaction

Grouping operations affecting a number of files in a single transaction. If all operations in the transaction succeed, all the files are updated. If any operation in the transaction fails, none of the files are updated.

base

The file revision that two newer, conflicting file revisions were commonly based on.

binary file

A non-text file.

branch

(noun) A codeline created by copying another codeline, as opposed to a codeline that was created by adding original files. branch is often used as a synonym for branch view.

(verb) To create a codeline branch with p4 integrate.

branch form

The Perforce form you use to modify a branch.

branch view

A specification of the branching relationship between two codelines in the depot. Each branch view has a unique name, and defines how files are mapped from the originating codeline to the target codeline. See branch.

build

The process of turning source code into product.

change

(obsolete) In previous versions of Perforce, a changelist.

changelist

An atomic change transaction in Perforce.

changelist form

The Perforce form you use to modify a changelist.

changelist
number

The unique numeric identifier of a changelist.

change review

The process of sending email to users who have registered their interest in changes made to specified files in the depot.

checkpoint

A copy of the underlying server metadata at a particular moment in time. See metadata.

CLI

Command line interface. The Perforce p4 command, which enables you to perform operations from the operating system command line.

client form

The Perforce form you use to define a client workspace.

client name

A name that uniquely identifies the current client workspace.

client root

The root directory of a client workspace.

client side

The right-hand side of a mapping within a client view, specifying where the corresponding depot files are located in the client workspace.

client view

A set of mappings that specifies the correspondence between file locations in the depot and the client workspace.

client
workspace

Directories on the client computer where you work on file revisions that are managed by Perforce.

codeline

A set of files that evolve collectively. One codeline can be branched from another, allowing each set of files to evolve separately.

conflict

See file conflict.

counter

A numeric variable used by Perforce to track changelist numbers in conjunction with the review feature.

daemon

A program running in the background.

database

Files in a Perforce server used to store the server metadata. See also metadata.

default changelist

The changelist used by Perforce commands, unless a numbered changelist is specified.

default depot

The depot name that is assumed when no name is specified. The default depot name is depot.

deleted file

In Perforce, a file with its head revision marked as deleted. Older revisions of the file are still available.

delta

The differences between two files.

delta storage

See reverse delta storage.

depot

A file repository on the Perforce server. It contains all versions of all files ever submitted to the server. There can be multiple depots on a single server.

depot root

The root directory for a depot.

depot side

The left side of any client view mapping, specifying the location of files in a depot.

depot syntax

Perforce syntax for specifying the location of files in the depot.

detached

A client computer that cannot connect to a Perforce server.

digest, MD5

See MD5 checksum.

donor file

The file from which changes are taken when propagating changes from one file to another.

exclusionary mapping

A view mapping that excludes specific files.

exclusionary access

A permission that denies access to the specified files.

file conflict

In a three-way file merge, a situation in which two revisions of a file differ from each other and from their base file.

Also: an attempt to submit a file that is not an edit of the head revision of the file in the depot; typically occurs when another user opens the file for edit after you have opened the file for edit.

file pattern

Perforce command line syntax that enables you to specify files using wildcards.

file repository

The master copy of all files; shared by all users. In Perforce, this is called the depot.

file revision

A specific version of a file within the depot. Each revision is assigned a number, in sequence. Any revision can be accessed in the depot by its revision number, like foo#3.

file tree

All the subdirectories and files under a given root directory.

file type

An attribute that determines how Perforce stores and diffs a particular file. Examples of file types are text and binary.

fix

A job that has been linked to a changelist.

form

Screens displayed by certain Perforce commands. For example, you use the Perforce change form to enter comments about a particular changelist and to verify the affected files.

full-file
storage

The method by which Perforce stores revisions of binary files in the depot: every file revision is stored in full. Contrast this with reverse delta storage, which Perforce uses for text files.

get

An obsolete Perforce term; replaced by sync.

group

A list of Perforce users.

have list

The list of file revisions currently in the client workspace.

head revision

The most recent revision of a file within the depot. Since file revisions are numbered sequentially, this will also be the highest-numbered revision of that file.

integrate

To compare two sets of files (e.g., two codeline branches) and

• determine which changes in one set are applicable to the other;
  
• determine whether those changes have already been propagated; and
  
• propagate outstanding changes.
  

Inter-File
Branching

Perforce's proprietary branching mechanism.

job

A user-defined unit of work tracked by Perforce.

job specification

A specification containing the fields and valid values stored for a Perforce job.

job view

A string used to find jobs that match particular criteria.

journal

A file containing a record of every change made to the Perforce server's metadata since the time of the last checkpoint.

journaling

The process of recording changes made to the Perforce server's metadata.

label

A named list of user-specified file revisions.

label view

The view that specifies which file names in the depot can be stored in a particular label.

lazy copy

A method used by Perforce to make internal copies of files without duplicating file content in the depot. Lazy copies minimize the consumption of disk space by storing references to the original file instead of copies of the file.

license file

Ensures that the number of Perforce users on your site does not exceed the number for which you have paid.

list access

A protection level that enables you to run reporting commands but prevents access to the contents of files.

local depot

Any depot located on the current Perforce server.

local syntax

The operating-system-specific syntax for specifying a file name.

lock

A Perforce file lock prevents other clients from submitting the locked file.

log

Error output from the Perforce server. By default, error output is written to standard error. To specify a log file, set the P4LOG environment variable, or use the p4d -L flag.

mapping

A single line in a view, consisting of a left side and a right side that specify the correspondences between files in the depot and files in a client, label, or branch. The left side specifies the depot file and the right side specifies the client files.

(See also client view, branch view, label view).

MD5 checksum

The method used by Perforce to verify the integrity of archived files.

merge

The process of combining the contents of two conflicting file revisions into a single file.

merge file

A file generated by Perforce from two conflicting file revisions.

metadata

The data stored by the Perforce server that describes the files in the depot, the current state of client workspaces, protections, users, clients, labels, and branches. Metadata includes all the data stored in the server except for the actual contents of the files.

modification time

The time a file was last changed.

nonexistent
revision

A completely empty revision of any file. Syncing to a nonexistent revision of a file removes it from your workspace. An empty file revision created by 'p4 delete' and the #none revision specifier are examples of nonexistent file revisions.

numbered changelist

A pending changelist to which Perforce has assigned a number.

open file

A file that you are changing in your client workspace.

owner

The Perforce user who created a particular client, branch, or label.

p4

The Perforce command line interface program, and the command you issue to execute Perforce commands from the operating system command line.

p4d

The program on the Perforce server that manages the depot and the metadata.

pending changelist

A changelist that has not been submitted.

Perforce server

See server.

pre-submit trigger

See trigger.

protections

The permissions stored in the Perforce server's protections table.

RCS format

Revision Control System format. Used for storing revisions of text files. RCS format uses reverse delta encoding for file storage. Perforce uses RCS format to store text files. See also reverse delta storage.

read access

A protection level that enables you to read the contents of files managed by Perforce.

remote depot

A depot located on a server other than the current Perforce server.

reresolve

The process of resolving a file after the file is resolved and before it is submitted

resolve

The process you use to reconcile the differences between two revisions of a file.

resource fork

One fork of a Macintosh file. (Macintosh files are composed of a resource fork and a data fork.) You can store resource forks in Perforce depots as part of an AppleSingle file by using Perforce's apple file type. (In pre-99.2 Perforce, use the resource file type).

reverse delta
storage

The method that Perforce uses to store revisions of text files. Perforce stores the changes between each revision and its previous revision, plus the full text of the head revision.

revert

To discard the changes you have made to a file in the client workspace.

review access

A special protections level that includes read and list accesses, and grants permission to run the review command.

review daemon

Any daemon process that uses the p4 review command. See also change review.

revision

See file revision.

revision number

A number indicating which revision of the file is being referred to.

revision range

A range of revision numbers for a specified file, specified as the low and high end of the range. For example, foo#5,7 specifies revisions 5 through 7 of file foo.

revision
specification

A suffix to a filename that specifies a particular revision of that file. Revision specifiers can be revision numbers, change numbers, label names, date/time specifications, or client names.

SCM

Acronym for "software configuration management."

server

The Perforce depot and metadata on a central host. Also the program that manages the depot and metadata.

server root

The directory in which the server program stores its metadata and all the shared files. To specify the server root, set the P4ROOT environment variable.

software
configuration
management

Software for version control, concurrent development, release management, build management, and change review.

status

For a changelist, a value that indicates whether the changelist is new, pending or submitted. For a job, a value that indicates whether the job is open, closed, or suspended. You can customize job statuses.

submit

To send a pending changelist and changed files to the Perforce server for processing.

subscribe

To register to receive email whenever changelists that affect particular files are submitted.

super access

An access level that gives the user permission to run every Perforce command, including commands that set protections, obliterate files, verify files with an MD5 signature, and set up connections to remote depots.

sync

To copy a file revision (or set of file revisions) from the depot to a client workspace.

target file

The file that receives the changes from the donor file when you are integrating changes between a branched codeline and the original codeline.

text file

A file that contains only ASCII text. See also binary file.

theirs

When you resolve a file conflict, the revision in the depot with which the client file is merged. When you are working with branched files, theirs is the donor file.

three-way merge

The process of combining three file revisions. During a three-way merge, you can identify where conflicting changes have occurred and specify how you want to resolve the conflicts.

tip revision

In Perforce, the head revision. Tip revision is a term used by some other SCM systems.

trigger

A script automatically invoked by the Perforce server when changelists are submitted.

two-way merge

The process of combining two file revisions. In a two-way merge, you can see differences between the files but cannot see conflicts.

typemap

A Perforce table in which you assign Perforce file types to files.

user

The identifier that Perforce uses to determine who is performing an operation.

version control

The tracking of each revision and variant of every file managed by an SCM system.

view

A description of the relationship between two sets of files. See client view, label view, branch view.

wildcard

A special character used to match other characters in strings. Perforce wildcards are:

• * matches anything except a slash
  
• ... matches anything including slashes
  
• %d used for parameter substitution in views.
  

workspace

See client workspace.

write access

A protection level that enables you to run commands that alter the contents of files in the depot. Write access includes read and list accesses.

yours

The edited version of a file in the client workspace, when you resolve a file. Also, the target file when you integrate a branched file.