Best practices for configuration files version control with SVN

Question

I have to version a project made up of four applications, each with its own configuration files. This project has to be deployed to several customers, customizing it for each customer by modifying the configurations files.

What are the best practices to version also the different customers' configuration files?

A branch or tag for the whole project for each customer (each with its own modified configuration files) or just a trunk for the project (eventually with branch and tags, created for other reasons) and the customer's configuration files managed apart?

Answer 1

I would have gone with the last option that you have,

trunk for the project (eventually with branch and tags, created for other reasons) and the customer's configuration files managed apart

This way the developers will always have the code base and necessary setup already in place and just need to take appropriate configuration files from SVN to work for specific client.

Having separate branch or tag for whole project will make it difficult to maintain and keep it updated with latest changes, merging and code conflicts. Also the no. of branches or tags will grow as you have more customers added.