---
name: "svn-bisect"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "subversion-tools"
version: "1.14.5-3"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/svn-bisect"
---

# svn-bisect(1)

Bisect Subversion revisions to find a regression

## NAME

svn-bisect - Bisect Subversion revisions to find a regression

## SYNOPSIS

**svn-bisect start** \[*good\_rev* \[*bad\_rev*\]\]

**svn-bisect** {**good**\|**bad**}  \[*rev*\]

**svn-bisect run** *command*

**svn-bisect reset**

**svn-bisect status**

## DESCRIPTION

**svn-bisect** helps to automate finding a bug or behavior change in a **Subversion** working copy.  Given an initial “good” revision, with the desired or original behavior, and a newer “bad” revision, with the undesired or modified behavior, **svn-bisect** will do a binary search through the revision range to find which revision caused the change.

**svn-bisect** must be initialized in a working copy, with **svn-bisect start**. It also needs to be given at least one *good* revision (the baseline) and one *bad* revision (known modified behavior) revision.

Sub-commands:

- **start**

  Initializes or reinitializes **svn-bisect**; optionally takes *good* and *bad* revision parameters.

- **good** *rev*

  - **bad** *rev*

  Tells **svn-bisect** that a revision is *good* or *bad*, defining or narrowing the search space.  If not specified, *revision* defaults to the current revision in the working copy. **svn-bisect** will then update to a revision halfway between the new *good* and *bad* boundaries.  If this update crosses a point where a branch was created, it switches in or out of the branch.

- **reset**

  Resets the working copy to the revision and branch where **svn-bisect start** was run.  In the simple case this is equivalent to **rm -r .svn-bisect; svn update**, but not if it has crossed branches, and not if you did not start at the **HEAD** revision.  In any case, **svn-bisect** never keeps track of mixed-revision working copies, so do not use **svn-bisect** in a working copy that will need to be restored to mixed revisions.

- **status**

  Prints a brief status message.

- **run** *command*

  Runs the bisection in a loop.  You must have already defined initial *good* and *bad* boundary conditions.  Each iteration through the loop runs *command* as a shell command (a single argument, quoted if necessary) on the chosen revision, then marks the revision as *good* or *bad*, based on the exit status of *command*.

## EXAMPLES

Assume you are trying to find which revision between 1250 and 1400 caused the **make check** command to fail.

    svn-bisect start 1250 1400\
     svn-bisect run 'make check'\
     svn-bisect reset

## ENVIRONMENT

- SVN

  The Subversion command-line program to call (default **svn**).

## FILES

- .svn-bisect

  The directory containing state information, removed after a successful bisection.

## SEE ALSO

[**git-bisect**(1)](/git-bisect/1.md).

## AUTHOR

Written by Robert Millan and Peter Samuelson, for the Debian Project (but may be used by others).