Late Binding

You can modify files without checking them out. This method is best suited for concurrent development. Users can work in parallel and modify their local copy, and commit their completed changes. This manner of working is named Late Binding and can help prevent build problems. The Online mode with the branch placement option is almost equivalent to the Late Binding mode, where any developer is allowed to modify the files by creating their own branch. But the branch placement requires a check-out and does not provide a lock on the file whereas Late Binding does not require a check-out.

Late Binding can help you avoid the following check-out problems:

Note: These problems occur in Online mode with the trunk placement option.

Can cause administrative problems.
Sometimes Developer1 checks out a file and then forgets about it. Meanwhile, Developer2 is waiting to edit the file. This situation causes unnecessary delay and wasted time.
Can create unnecessary locks on files.
Suppose Developer1 is editing the beginning of a text file, and Developer2 wants to edit the end of the same file. Their changes do not overlap. Both developers can safely edit the file simultaneously, and later merge the file.
Can create a false sense of security.
Suppose Developer1 checks out and edits file A, while Developer2 simultaneously checks out and edits file B. Suppose that file A and file B depend on one another, and the changes made to each are semantically incompatible. Suddenly A and B do not work together anymore. The reserve-tag created by the check-out did not prevent the problem—yet it provided a false sense of security. Developer1 and Developer2 may think that by checking out files their changes are isolated, and thus are unaware of incompatible changes.