GitHub has introduced the ability to use SVN to access its repositories, effectively making it the largest Subversion host globally. This functionality allows users to treat any GitHub repository as an SVN external, view Git repositories using tools like TortoiseSVN, and integrate existing SVN-dependent build tools or continuous integration systems. Initially, this feature is read-only, though future updates may expand its capabilities. Users can check out projects by using the updated URL format: svn checkout from github.com. This new feature, confirmed to be operational despite the timing of the announcement, was detailed by Scott Chacon.