Deploying from Assembla with DeployHQ: Git, SVN & Perforce

By Facundo F · Updated on

Devops & Infrastructure, Git, and Tutorials

Deploying from Assembla with DeployHQ: Git, SVN & Perforce

Why Assembla Still Matters for Deployment Teams

Most teams default to GitHub or GitLab without thinking twice. But if you've ever managed a codebase with SVN repositories alongside Git, dealt with HIPAA compliance audits, or tried to wrangle Perforce depots into a CI/CD pipeline — you already know that just use GitHub isn't always an answer.

Assembla occupies a specific niche: it's the only cloud platform that hosts Git, SVN, and Perforce repositories under one roof, with compliance certifications (HIPAA, SOC 2, PCI DSS, GDPR) baked in rather than bolted on. For teams in healthcare, finance, or game development, that combination matters.

This guide covers how to connect Assembla repositories to DeployHQ for automated deployments — including the SVN and Perforce workflows that you won't find in our GitHub or GitLab integration guides.

What Makes Assembla Different (And When It Doesn't)

Let's be direct about where Assembla fits:

Assembla is the right choice when:

  • Your team maintains SVN or Perforce repositories that can't (or shouldn't) be migrated to Git. Game studios with large binary assets in Perforce, enterprises with decades of SVN history — these are Assembla's core audience.
  • Regulatory compliance is non-negotiable. Assembla's zero-breach track record over 18 years and built-in HIPAA/SOC 2 compliance means your security team won't spend months qualifying the platform.
  • You want code hosting and project management in one tool — tickets, time tracking, Kanban boards, and wikis linked directly to commits without paying for Jira separately.

Assembla is the wrong choice when:

  • You need the largest developer community and ecosystem (GitHub's 100M+ developers win here)
  • You're working on open-source projects
  • Budget is very tight — GitHub's free tier is hard to beat
  • You need the most extensive CI/CD pipeline (GitLab's DevSecOps toolchain is more comprehensive)

With that context, here's how to wire it up to DeployHQ.

Connecting Assembla to DeployHQ

DeployHQ doesn't offer a one-click Assembla integration like it does for GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket. The same manual approach works for automatic deployments from self-hosted Bitbucket repositories as well. The setup takes about 10 minutes and the connection is identical once configured.

Git Repositories

  1. In Assembla, navigate to your Space → Git tab and copy the SSH URL:

    git@git.assembla.com:your-space.git

  2. In DeployHQ, create a new project and select Manually enter repository details

  3. Set SCM Type to Git, paste your Assembla URL, and save — DeployHQ generates an SSH key pair

  4. Copy the public key from DeployHQ and add it in Assembla under Space Settings → SSH Keys

  5. Click Test Connection in DeployHQ to verify

SVN Repositories

This is where Assembla + DeployHQ gets interesting. Most deployment guides assume Git, but DeployHQ supports SVN natively — which matters for teams that can't migrate legacy codebases.

  1. In Assembla, go to your Space → Subversion tab and copy the HTTPS URL:

    https://subversion.assembla.com/svn/your-space/

  2. In DeployHQ, create a project with SCM Type set to Subversion

  3. Enter your Assembla username and password (SVN uses HTTP authentication, no SSH keys needed)

  4. Specify the branch path — typically trunk for the main line, or branches/release-1.0 for specific branches

SVN deployments in DeployHQ work the same as Git deployments: only changed files are uploaded, build commands run before transfer, and you get full deployment history with rollback.

Perforce Repositories

Perforce (Helix Core) repositories on Assembla require an indirect approach. DeployHQ doesn't support Perforce natively, so the workflow is:

  1. Use Git Fusion or git-p4 to mirror your Perforce depot to a Git repository
  2. Host the Git mirror on Assembla (same Space, separate repo)
  3. Connect the Git mirror to DeployHQ using the Git setup above
  4. Automate the sync with a cron job or CI trigger

This adds a step, but it means your artists and designers continue working in Perforce while deployments flow through Git → DeployHQ automatically.

Setting Up Automatic Deployments

Once Assembla is connected, configure a webhook so deployments trigger on every push:

  1. In Assembla, go to Space Settings → Webhooks
  2. Add DeployHQ's webhook URL (found in your DeployHQ project under Repository → Webhook URL)
  3. Set it to trigger on push events to your deployment branch (main, trunk, etc.)

Now when a merge request is approved and merged in Assembla, DeployHQ automatically pulls the latest code, runs your build pipeline, and deploys.

Linking Assembla Tickets to Deployments

One of Assembla's strengths is tight ticket-commit integration. Reference tickets in your commit messages:

git commit -m "Fix payment validation for PCI audit [#42]"

Assembla automatically links the commit to ticket #42, showing the full deployment trail — useful when auditors ask when was this fix deployed to production?

Advanced: Multi-VCS Deployment Workflows

This is Assembla's unique territory. If your organisation maintains both Git and SVN repositories (common in enterprises mid-migration), you can deploy both through DeployHQ:

flowchart LR
    A[Assembla Space] --> B[Git Repo<br/>Web Application]
    A --> C[SVN Repo<br/>Legacy Services]
    B --> D[DeployHQ Project 1]
    C --> E[DeployHQ Project 2]
    D --> F[Production Servers]
    E --> F

Create separate DeployHQ projects for each repository type, but deploy to the same server infrastructure. This lets teams migrate from SVN to Git incrementally — move one service at a time without disrupting deployments.

Zero-Downtime Configuration

For production deployments, enable DeployHQ's atomic deployment mode:

  • Symlink releases: Each deployment creates a timestamped directory, with a symlink pointing to the current release
  • Instant rollback: Revert by switching the symlink — no file transfers needed
  • Shared directories: Config files, uploads, and logs persist across releases 
/var/www/
  current → releases/20260224-143022/
  releases/
    20260224-143022/
    20260224-121000/
  shared/
    .env
    storage/
    uploads/

This works identically for both Git and SVN deployments from Assembla.

Compliance Considerations

If you're using Assembla specifically for its compliance features, here's how to maintain that posture through the deployment pipeline:

  • Audit trail: Assembla logs all repository access. DeployHQ logs all deployments with timestamps, commit references, and the user who triggered them. Together, this creates a complete chain of custody from code change to production.
  • Access control: Use Assembla's granular RBAC (role-based access control) to restrict who can commit, and DeployHQ's deployment permissions to restrict who can deploy. Separate the two for proper separation of duties.
  • Credential management: Use DeployHQ's Config Files feature to manage production secrets server-side. Never store credentials in the repository — even in a compliant platform.
  • Change management: Require merge request approvals in Assembla before code reaches the deployment branch. This enforces peer review as part of your compliance process.

FAQ

Does DeployHQ have native Assembla integration?

No. You connect using the manual repository option — SSH for Git, HTTPS for SVN. The setup takes about 10 minutes and works identically to native integrations once configured.

Can I deploy SVN repositories through DeployHQ?

Yes. DeployHQ supports SVN natively. Use your Assembla SVN URL with HTTP authentication. Changed-file detection, build commands, and rollback all work the same as with Git.

How do I set up automatic deployments?

Add DeployHQ's webhook URL in Assembla's webhook settings (Space Settings → Webhooks). Trigger on push events to your deployment branch.

What about Perforce repositories?

DeployHQ doesn't support Perforce directly. Mirror your Perforce depot to a Git repository using Git Fusion or git-p4, then connect the Git mirror to DeployHQ.

Is the connection secure?

Git connections use SSH keys (read-only). SVN uses HTTPS with authentication. All data in transit is encrypted. Use dedicated deployment credentials with minimal permissions on both platforms.

How much does the combined setup cost?

DeployHQ starts at $10/month for 3 projects (free plan available for 1 project). Assembla starts at $19/month for 5 users. Combined, it's competitive with GitHub Team + a separate project management tool — especially if you need multi-VCS or compliance features.

Ready to connect your Assembla repositories? Sign up for DeployHQ and follow the steps above — you'll have automated deployments running in under 15 minutes.

For questions or help with migration, reach out at support@deployhq.com or find us on Twitter/X.