6 git-diff - Show changes between commits, commit and working tree, etc
12 'git diff' [<options>] [<commit>] [--] [<path>...]
13 'git diff' [<options>] --cached [--merge-base] [<commit>] [--] [<path>...]
14 'git diff' [<options>] <commit> [<commit>...] <commit> [--] [<path>...]
15 'git diff' [<options>] <commit>...<commit> [--] [<path>...]
16 'git diff' [<options>] <blob> <blob>
17 'git diff' [<options>] --no-index [--] <path> <path>
21 Show changes between the working tree and the index or a tree, changes
22 between the index and a tree, changes between two trees, changes resulting
23 from a merge, changes between two blob objects, or changes between two
26 'git diff' [<options>] [--] [<path>...]::
28 This form is to view the changes you made relative to
29 the index (staging area for the next commit). In other
30 words, the differences are what you _could_ tell Git to
31 further add to the index but you still haven't. You can
32 stage these changes by using linkgit:git-add[1].
34 'git diff' [<options>] --no-index [--] <path> <path>::
36 This form is to compare the given two paths on the
37 filesystem. You can omit the `--no-index` option when
38 running the command in a working tree controlled by Git and
39 at least one of the paths points outside the working tree,
40 or when running the command outside a working tree
41 controlled by Git. This form implies `--exit-code`.
43 'git diff' [<options>] --cached [--merge-base] [<commit>] [--] [<path>...]::
45 This form is to view the changes you staged for the next
46 commit relative to the named <commit>. Typically you
47 would want comparison with the latest commit, so if you
48 do not give <commit>, it defaults to HEAD.
49 If HEAD does not exist (e.g. unborn branches) and
50 <commit> is not given, it shows all staged changes.
51 --staged is a synonym of --cached.
53 If --merge-base is given, instead of using <commit>, use the merge base
54 of <commit> and HEAD. `git diff --merge-base A` is equivalent to
55 `git diff $(git merge-base A HEAD)`.
57 'git diff' [<options>] <commit> [--] [<path>...]::
59 This form is to view the changes you have in your
60 working tree relative to the named <commit>. You can
61 use HEAD to compare it with the latest commit, or a
62 branch name to compare with the tip of a different
65 'git diff' [<options>] <commit> <commit> [--] [<path>...]::
67 This is to view the changes between two arbitrary
70 'git diff' [<options>] <commit> <commit>... <commit> [--] [<path>...]::
72 This form is to view the results of a merge commit. The first
73 listed <commit> must be the merge itself; the remaining two or
74 more commits should be its parents. A convenient way to produce
75 the desired set of revisions is to use the `^@` suffix.
76 For instance, if `master` names a merge commit, `git diff master
77 master^@` gives the same combined diff as `git show master`.
79 'git diff' [<options>] <commit>..<commit> [--] [<path>...]::
81 This is synonymous to the earlier form (without the `..`) for
82 viewing the changes between two arbitrary <commit>. If <commit> on
83 one side is omitted, it will have the same effect as
86 'git diff' [<options>] <commit>\...<commit> [--] [<path>...]::
88 This form is to view the changes on the branch containing
89 and up to the second <commit>, starting at a common ancestor
90 of both <commit>. `git diff A...B` is equivalent to
91 `git diff $(git merge-base A B) B`. You can omit any one
92 of <commit>, which has the same effect as using HEAD instead.
94 Just in case you are doing something exotic, it should be
95 noted that all of the <commit> in the above description, except
96 in the `--merge-base` case and in the last two forms that use `..`
97 notations, can be any <tree>.
99 For a more complete list of ways to spell <commit>, see
100 "SPECIFYING REVISIONS" section in linkgit:gitrevisions[7].
101 However, "diff" is about comparing two _endpoints_, not ranges,
102 and the range notations (`<commit>..<commit>` and
103 `<commit>...<commit>`) do not mean a range as defined in the
104 "SPECIFYING RANGES" section in linkgit:gitrevisions[7].
106 'git diff' [<options>] <blob> <blob>::
108 This form is to view the differences between the raw
109 contents of two blob objects.
114 include::diff-options.txt[]
119 Compare the working tree with the "base" version (stage #1),
120 "our branch" (stage #2) or "their branch" (stage #3). The
121 index contains these stages only for unmerged entries i.e.
122 while resolving conflicts. See linkgit:git-read-tree[1]
123 section "3-Way Merge" for detailed information.
126 Omit diff output for unmerged entries and just show
127 "Unmerged". Can be used only when comparing the working tree
131 The <paths> parameters, when given, are used to limit
132 the diff to the named paths (you can give directory
133 names and get diff for all files under them).
136 include::diff-format.txt[]
141 Various ways to check your working tree::
145 $ git diff --cached <2>
149 <1> Changes in the working tree not yet staged for the next commit.
150 <2> Changes between the index and your last commit; what you
151 would be committing if you run `git commit` without `-a` option.
152 <3> Changes in the working tree since your last commit; what you
153 would be committing if you run `git commit -a`
155 Comparing with arbitrary commits::
159 $ git diff HEAD -- ./test <2>
160 $ git diff HEAD^ HEAD <3>
163 <1> Instead of using the tip of the current branch, compare with the
164 tip of "test" branch.
165 <2> Instead of comparing with the tip of "test" branch, compare with
166 the tip of the current branch, but limit the comparison to the
168 <3> Compare the version before the last commit and the last commit.
173 $ git diff topic master <1>
174 $ git diff topic..master <2>
175 $ git diff topic...master <3>
178 <1> Changes between the tips of the topic and the master branches.
180 <3> Changes that occurred on the master branch since when the topic
181 branch was started off it.
183 Limiting the diff output::
186 $ git diff --diff-filter=MRC <1>
187 $ git diff --name-status <2>
188 $ git diff arch/i386 include/asm-i386 <3>
191 <1> Show only modification, rename, and copy, but not addition
193 <2> Show only names and the nature of change, but not actual
195 <3> Limit diff output to named subtrees.
197 Munging the diff output::
200 $ git diff --find-copies-harder -B -C <1>
204 <1> Spend extra cycles to find renames, copies and complete
205 rewrites (very expensive).
206 <2> Output diff in reverse.
211 linkgit:git-difftool[1],
213 linkgit:gitdiffcore[7],
214 linkgit:git-format-patch[1],
215 linkgit:git-apply[1],
220 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite