A repository manager facilitates robust revision control of components of a large scale system. The repository manager stores system components under revision control in a repository, according to internal names. The repository manager also stores binding information between internal names of system components and associated external names, as well as component attribute information. The repository manager provides users with working areas, from which they are able to access system components according to their external names, via the repository manager. As users perform operations affecting system components, the repository manager keeps track of the performed operations. Responsive to a user committing a set of changes, the repository manager updates the master repository according to the performed operations, associates a new version number with the resulting state of the repository and synchronizes the user's working area with the updated repository.