Aegis is a transaction-based software configuration management system. It provides a framework within which a team of developers may work on many changes to a program independently, and Aegis coordinates integrating these changes back into the master source of the program, with as little disruption as possible.

In essence, the aegis program is a project change supervisor. It provides a framework within which a team of developers may work on many changes to a program independently, and the aegis program coordinates integrating these changes back into the master source of the program, with as little disruption as possible. Resolution of contention for source files, a major headache for any project with more than one developer, is one of the aegis program's major functions.

It should be noted that the aegis program is a developer's tool, in the same sense as make or RCS are developer's tools. It is not a manager's tool - it does not provide progress tracking or help with work allocation.