Add trunk/tags/branches directories to an existing SVN repository

In a standard SVN repository, the top level directory is the project directory, which contains three subdirectories: trunk, tags and branches (SVN Best Practices). Most time, you actively work and update the trunk directory. When you release a new version, you may take a snapshot of the trunk directory by copying the trunk directory to tags. The branches directory is where you may try out some new ideas.

Occasionally, you may have a svn repository that does not follow the recommend layout, probably because it seemed not worth the efforts when you first start that toy-like project. However as developments continue, that repository may have lots of commits, and you found it much convenient if there are the trunk/tags/branches layout (for example, link). Here I will give a step-by-step tutorial.

First, we need to dump the old repository with svnadmin, and then create a new clean repository.

svnadmin dump /srv/svn/repos/test > test-repo.dump
mv /srv/svn/repos/test /srv/svn/repos/test-backup
svnadmin create /srv/svn/repos/test

Next, check out the clean repository, and add trunk, tags, and branches directories.

svn checkout PATH-TO-TEST-REPO
cd test
svn mkdir trunk tags branches
svn ci  trunk tags branches -m "add trunk tags branches structure"

Finally, load the previous repository dump into the trunk subdirectory. Note, the --parent-dir is essential.

svnadmin load  /srv/svn/repos/test --parent-dir  trunk < test-repo.dump

Done!