Looking For A Version Control Solution?
Perforce Helix Core is the industry-leading version control system. Designed for scalability, it offers teams of any size a single source of truth for all digital assets, from source code to binary files to IPs and more. It integrates seamlessly with the most popular game engines and DCC tools, allowing you to keep version control in the background. Helix Core can be extended with a suite of add-ons to streamline collaboration across developers and creatives.
Compare Perforce vs. other popular version control tools.
Subversion (SVN)
Subversion (SVN) is used for maintaining current and historical versions of small projects. It’s an open source centralized VCS.
Compare SVN With…
Unity Version Control
Unity Version Control (formerly Plastic SCM) is a popular version control tool for Unity game engine users, but it lacks scalability.
Compare Unity Version Control With…
Git
Git is popular for a reason. Developers know it. It’s open source (and free). But enterprise customers can struggle to scale and secure.
Compare Git With…
Plastic SCM vs. Perforce Helix Core
Plastic SCM version control — now acquired by Unity — has been used by mobile and indie game dev studios. But before you get started… see how they stack up to the game dev standard.
"In working with Unreal Engine, Perforce was the obvious choice for us over other solutions like Plastic SCM."
What Version Control Solution Works For You
Check out our comparison chart on Perforce vs. other version control systems.
How do teams work?
| Unity Version Control (formerly Plastic SCM) | Git | Subversion (SVN) | ClearCase | Perforce Helix Core | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centralized (check files in and out from a central repo) | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Distributed (push and pull between repos) | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ Helix Core offers DVCS functionality, giving your teams added flexibility. |
Does it scale to manage…?
| Unity Version Control (formerly Plastic SCM) | Git | Subversion (SVN) | ClearCase | Perforce Helix Core | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large repos | ❌ Not really… testing was only done on a repo with less than 8 GB. | ❌ Most Git teams split up their repos, complicating pipelines. | ❌ Performance suffers at scale, delaying teams. | ❌ ClearCase slows down as the codebase and history grows. | ✅ Helix Core is known for its high performance at scale, no matter how big your projects and repos grow. |
| Large files (including binaries) | ❌ Plastic can handle large binaries, but repo sizes tap out at 1 TB files. | ❌ Some teams use Git LFS to manage large files, but it’s complicated to maintain. | ✅ Depends on the file type. | ❌ | ✅ Helix Core stores all your digital assets — including large binary files — and more. |
How does it manage files and branching?
| Unity Version Control (formerly Plastic SCM) | Git | Subversion (SVN) | ClearCase | Perforce Helix Core | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File locking | ✅ | ❌ Only works if you include LFS locking. And it only supports files using Git LFS, not your other files | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ Helix Core takes file locking a step further offering exclusive checkouts to avoid duplicating efforts. |
| Visualization into how code flows | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Perforce Streams helps teams see how code should flow. Developers can quickly tell what branches have changes available. |
| Tracks relationships between branches | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Streams guides developers as they branch and merge. |
| Built-in code review | ❌ Plastic code review is a diff window with some extra features. | ❌ Requires 3rd party options. | ❌ Requires 3rd party options. | ❌ Requires 3rd party options. | ✅ Helix Swarm is the code review solution for Helix Core (and it’s free). |
| Offers integrations with tools teams use | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ Legacy for a reason… | ❌ ClearCase is no longer actively developed. | ✅ Helix Core has plugins and integrations to the tools teams already use. Plus you can use Helix Sync to version any digital asset. |
| Works with Git | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Helix4Git allows you to solve development challenges that can happen as Git teams grow, and it offers faster builds. |
How does it protect your assets?
| Unity Version Control (formerly Plastic SCM) | Git | Subversion (SVN) | ClearCase | Perforce Helix Core | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secures valuable IP | ❌ You can only secure Plastic based on paths, not down to the individual file. | ❌ Not really, you can use other 3rd party tools to secure Git. But it’s difficult to implement. Read-level security is per repo, requiring even further break down of repos. | ❌ Nothing available out-of-the-box. | ✅ ClearCase offers a file/directory level permission structure, similar to a filesystem. It’s complex to administer. | ✅ Helix Core protects IP down to the individual file and supports fine-grained security rules. |
How does it support teams as they scale?
| Unity Version Control (formerly Plastic SCM) | Git | Subversion (SVN) | ClearCase | Perforce Helix Core | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Can be hosted in the cloud | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ Learn more about SVN hosting. | ❌ | ✅ Helix Core can be hosted in your preferred cloud provider. Get Perforce on the cloud. |
| Global replication | ❌ Replication modes are limited with no ability to truly scale. | ❌ Not really, DVCS by definition works in a replicated mode. But it requires copying whole repo(s), which can be painful over long distances. | ❌ Only works if you install costly 3rd party add-ons. | ✅ ClearCase MultiSite is required to replicate, but also expensive to purchase and maintain. | ✅ Perforce Distributed Architecture’s advanced replication technology delivers files around the globe, fast. |
| Offers world-class support | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Support is available around the clock to ensure your teams always have the access they need. |
Industry-Leading Features of Helix Core
These latest features and add-ons enable your team to collaborate even more efficiently and accelerate development.
Virtual File Sync
Virtual File Sync accelerates sync times for large assets across remote and distributed environments. It works by syncing only the file metadata on the initial request.
Resource Pressure Awareness
Resource Pressure Awareness prevents unplanned downtime by allowing teams to ensure that a server does not run out of available memory or CPU.
Content Distribution Server
The Content Distribution Server adds a data exchange layer between your primary server and any third-party partners so you can securely share source code with outside collaborators.
Helix DAM
Helix DAM, digital asset management for Helix Core users, enables your creative team to quickly find and reuse art assets, as well as collaborate more efficiently.
Virtual File Sync
Virtual File Sync accelerates sync times for large assets across remote and distributed environments. It works by syncing only the file metadata on the initial request.
Resource Pressure Awareness
Resource Pressure Awareness prevents unplanned downtime by allowing teams to ensure that a server does not run out of available memory or CPU.
Content Distribution Server
The Content Distribution Server adds a data exchange layer between your primary server and any third-party partners so you can securely share source code with outside collaborators.
Perforce Helix Core — Ready to Migrate?
It's easier than you think. Helix Core has helped thousands of companies…
Scale
Helix Core supports your distributed teams and remote contributors.
Accelerate
Helix Core offers faster performance and response times.
Increase Productivity
Helix Core streamlines development workflows.
Track Every Change
Helix Core increases visibility into how your codebase evolves.
Scale
Helix Core supports your distributed teams and remote contributors.
Accelerate
Helix Core offers faster performance and response times.
Increase Productivity
Helix Core streamlines development workflows.
Get Free Version Control
Helix Core is free for teams up to 5 users.
Perforce vs. Subversion
Merge conflicts, poor scalability, and outdated functionality leave users feeling stuck. Helix Core helps users regain productivity and improve collaboration.
Perforce vs. ClearCase
Don’t let ClearCase’s gradual decline into obsolescence stifle innovation and wreak havoc. Helix Core is significantly faster at builds and file transfers and so much easier to administer.
"Everyone loves Helix Core. Using it significantly simplified our workflows and reduced delivery times by at least 50–60%."
See Helix Core in Action
Watch our 20-minute demo to see why so many customers switch to Helix Core.