Q:

while importing Maven project adding .iml files to SVN source control

Hi I am relatively new to Maven and intelliJ IDEA.
While trying to import the Maven project, IDE is asking for adding *.iml files to SVN control.
I wanted to know what does it mean ? and what are the merits and demerits of doing so?

A:

The iml files are used by intellij to store module specific settings and other information relating to the module. Usually teams do not add *.iml files to svn. Typically these files change rapidly, and for no important reason, meaning that if you perform something as simple as a search you'll change the iml file and you'll have a difference with the repo that'll need to be submitted or reverted, and you'll always be in this position. Plus, if a developer does check in the iml, the next developer will have their personal settings overridden whenever they do an update. 
Adding files to svn (subversion) is done to maintain a history of a project and to share source files amongst a team. Most teams don't want to share intellij's personal module configuration.

