What is ESRI Versioned/non-Versioned Datasets?

ESRI Versioned and non-Versioned datasets are fundamental concepts in managing geospatial data within an ArcGIS geodatabase. Versioning allows multiple editors to work on the same data concurrently without locking the original data, enabling conflict resolution and historical archiving. Non-versioned datasets, in contrast, are directly edited, and changes are immediately reflected. Versioning is often used in environments where data integrity and audit trails are crucial, such as utility network management or parcel fabric maintenance. Non-versioned editing is suitable for smaller projects or datasets where concurrent editing is less frequent.