svnssh

svnssh is a command-line utility that allows users to interact with Subversion (SVN) repositories over the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol. It facilitates secure and encrypted communication between the SVN client and the SVN server. This is achieved by tunneling SVN's network protocol through an SSH connection.

The primary purpose of svnssh is to provide a secure alternative to plain HTTP or SVN's native `svnserve` protocol, which can transmit data unencrypted. By using SSH, svnssh leverages the authentication and encryption mechanisms provided by SSH, ensuring that repository access and data transfer are protected from eavesdropping and tampering.

When using svnssh, the SVN client typically connects to the SVN server via a specific SSH URL format. This format usually includes the username for SSH authentication, the hostname of the server, and the path to the SVN repository on that server. For example, a typical URL might look like svn+ssh://user@hostname/path/to/repository.

The svnssh utility itself is often not a separate executable but rather a configuration or convention used by the standard SVN client. The SVN client recognizes the `svn+ssh://` URL scheme and automatically invokes the system's SSH client to establish the secure connection. This means that the user must have SSH access configured to the target SVN server, including any necessary keys or passwords.

In essence, svnssh enables secure remote access and management of Subversion repositories by combining the robust version control capabilities of SVN with the strong security features of SSH. It is a common and recommended method for accessing SVN repositories over untrusted networks.