Tag | Description |
-lines |
Show
lines (an integer) lines of context. This option does not
specify an output format by itself; it has no effect unless it is
combined with
-c or
-u. This option is obsolete. For proper
operation,
patch typically needs at least two lines of context.
|
-a |
Treat all files as text and compare them line-by-line, even if they
do not seem to be text.
|
-b |
Ignore changes in amount of white space.
|
-B |
Ignore changes that just insert or delete blank lines.
|
--brief |
Report only whether the files differ, not the details of the
differences.
|
-c |
Use the context output format.
|
-C lines |
|
|
--context[=lines] |
|
Use the context output format, showing
lines (an integer) lines of
context, or three if
lines is not given.
For proper operation,
patch typically needs at least two lines of
context.
|
--changed-group-format=format |
|
Use
format to output a line group containing differing lines from
both files in if-then-else format.
|
-d |
Change the algorithm to perhaps find a smaller set of changes. This makes
diff slower (sometimes much slower).
|
-D name |
Make merged if-then-else format output, conditional on the preprocessor
macro
name. |
-e |
|
--ed |
Make output that is a valid
ed script.
|
--exclude=pattern |
|
When comparing directories, ignore files and subdirectories whose basenames
match
pattern. |
--exclude-from=file |
|
When comparing directories, ignore files and subdirectories whose basenames
match any pattern contained in
file. |
--expand-tabs |
|
Expand tabs to spaces in the output, to preserve the alignment of tabs
in the input files.
|
-f |
Make output that looks vaguely like an
ed script but has changes
in the order they appear in the file.
|
-F regexp |
|
In context and unified format, for each hunk of differences, show some
of the last preceding line that matches
regexp. |
--forward-ed |
|
Make output that looks vaguely like an
ed script but has changes
in the order they appear in the file.
|
-h |
This option currently has no effect; it is present for Unix
compatibility.
|
-H |
Use heuristics to speed handling of large files that have numerous
scattered small changes.
|
--horizon-lines=lines |
|
Do not discard the last
lines lines of the common prefix
and the first
lines lines of the common suffix.
|
-i |
Ignore changes in case; consider upper- and lower-case letters
equivalent.
|
-I regexp |
|
Ignore changes that just insert or delete lines that match
regexp. |
--ifdef=name |
|
Make merged if-then-else format output, conditional on the preprocessor
macro
name. |
--ignore-all-space |
|
Ignore white space when comparing lines.
|
--ignore-blank-lines |
|
Ignore changes that just insert or delete blank lines.
|
--ignore-case |
|
Ignore changes in case; consider upper- and lower-case to be the same.
|
--ignore-matching-lines=regexp |
|
Ignore changes that just insert or delete lines that match
regexp. |
--ignore-space-change |
|
Ignore changes in amount of white space.
|
--initial-tab |
|
Output a tab rather than a space before the text of a line in normal or
context format. This causes the alignment of tabs in the line to look
normal.
|
-l |
Pass the output through
pr to paginate it.
|
-L label |
|
|
--label=label |
|
Use
label instead of the file name in the context format
and unified format
headers.
|
--left-column |
|
Print only the left column of two common lines in side by side format.
|
--line-format=format |
|
Use
format to output all input lines in in-then-else format.
|
--minimal |
|
Change the algorithm to perhaps find a smaller set of changes. This
makes
diff slower (sometimes much slower).
|
-n |
Output RCS-format diffs; like
-f except that each command
specifies the number of lines affected.
|
-N |
|
--new-file |
|
In directory comparison, if a file is found in only one directory,
treat it as present but empty in the other directory.
|
--new-group-format=format |
|
Use
format to output a group of lines taken from just the second
file in if-then-else format.
|
--new-line-format=format |
|
Use
format to output a line taken from just the second file in
if-then-else format.
|
--old-group-format=format |
|
Use
format to output a group of lines taken from just the first
file in if-then-else format.
|
--old-line-format=format |
|
Use
format to output a line taken from just the first file in
if-then-else format.
|
-p |
Show which C function each change is in.
|
-P |
When comparing directories, if a file appears only in the second
directory of the two, treat it as present but empty in the other.
|
--paginate |
|
Pass the output through
pr to paginate it.
|
-q |
Report only whether the files differ, not the details of the
differences.
|
-r |
When comparing directories, recursively compare any subdirectories
found.
|
--rcs |
Output RCS-format diffs; like
-f except that each command
specifies the number of lines affected.
|
--recursive |
|
When comparing directories, recursively compare any subdirectories
found.
|
--report-identical-files |
|
|
-s |
Report when two files are the same.
|
-S file |
When comparing directories, start with the file
file. This is
used for resuming an aborted comparison.
|
--from-file=file |
|
Compare
file to all operands.
file can be a directory.
|
--to-file=file |
|
Compare all operands to
file. file can be a directory.
|
--sdiff-merge-assist |
|
Print extra information to help
sdiff. sdiff uses this
option when it runs
diff. This option is not intended for users
to use directly.
|
--show-c-function |
|
Show which C function each change is in.
|
--show-function-line=regexp |
|
In context and unified format, for each hunk of differences, show some
of the last preceding line that matches
regexp. |
--side-by-side |
|
Use the side by side output format.
|
--speed-large-files |
|
Use heuristics to speed handling of large files that have numerous
scattered small changes.
|
--starting-file=file |
|
When comparing directories, start with the file
file. This is
used for resuming an aborted comparison.
|
--suppress-common-lines |
|
Do not print common lines in side by side format.
|
-t |
Expand tabs to spaces in the output, to preserve the alignment of tabs
in the input files.
|
-T |
Output a tab rather than a space before the text of a line in normal or
context format. This causes the alignment of tabs in the line to look
normal.
|
--text |
Treat all files as text and compare them line-by-line, even if they
do not appear to be text.
|
-u |
Use the unified output format.
|
--unchanged-group-format=format |
|
Use
format to output a group of common lines taken from both files
in if-then-else format.
|
--unchanged-line-format=format |
|
Use
format to output a line common to both files in if-then-else
format.
|
--unidirectional-new-file |
|
When comparing directories, if a file appears only in the second
directory of the two, treat it as present but empty in the other.
|
-U lines |
|
|
--unified[=lines] |
|
Use the unified output format, showing
lines (an integer) lines of
context, or three if
lines is not given.
For proper operation,
patch typically needs at least two lines of
context.
|
-v |
|
--version |
|
Output the version number of
diff. |
-w |
Ignore white space when comparing lines.
|
-W columns |
|
|
--width=columns |
|
Use an output width of
columns in side by side format.
|
-x pattern |
|
When comparing directories, ignore files and subdirectories whose basenames
match
pattern. |
-X file |
When comparing directories, ignore files and subdirectories whose basenames
match any pattern contained in
file. |
-y |
Use the side by side output format.
|