> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.hosting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Using the Subversion (SVN) client

> The Subversion client is available on hosting.com accounts so you can work with repositories hosted elsewhere. We do not host SVN repositories.

The **Subversion client** (`svn`) is installed on hosting.com servers, so you can check out, update and commit against a repository from your account over SSH.

<Warning>
  **We do not host Subversion repositories.** The client is available; the server is not. This applies to web hosting, reseller hosting, managed VPS and managed dedicated servers.

  If you need somewhere to host a repository, use a hosted service, or an [unmanaged server](/docs/managed-vs-unmanaged-vps) where you have root and can install one yourself.
</Warning>

## What you can do

Use the client on your account to work against a repository that lives somewhere else:

```bash theme={null}
svn checkout https://svn.example.org/project/trunk /home/username/project
svn update
svn commit -m "message"
```

This is the common case for deploying a site from an existing SVN repository, and it works on every product.

<Tip>
  Most new projects use [Git](/docs/using-git) rather than Subversion, and Git is fully supported including repositories on your own account. If you are choosing rather than inheriting, start there.
</Tip>

## On an unmanaged server

An unmanaged VPS or dedicated server is yours to configure. You have root, so you can install and run `svnserve`, or serve repositories over HTTP with Apache's `mod_dav_svn`, in exactly the way you would on any server you own.

This is not supported by us — we will not configure it, troubleshoot it or back up the repository data — but nothing stops you doing it.

## Connecting to a server that uses a non-standard SSH port

Some servers use port 7822 for SSH rather than the default 22. Rather than passing the port every time, define a tunnel in your local Subversion config:

1. On your own computer, open `~/.subversion/config` in a text editor.
2. Find the `[tunnels]` section and add:
   ```text theme={null}
   altport = ssh -p 7822 -q
   ```
3. Save the file.

You can then use `svn+altport://` in place of `svn+ssh://`:

```bash theme={null}
svn co svn+altport://username@example.com/path/to/repository
```

## More information

* Subversion project: [https://subversion.apache.org](https://subversion.apache.org)
* The Subversion book: [https://svnbook.red-bean.com](https://svnbook.red-bean.com)

## Related articles

* [Using Git](/docs/using-git)
* [Version control systems](/docs/version-control-systems)
* [Using SSH keys](/docs/using-ssh-keys)


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