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The "diff" command:

Usage: fossil diff|gdiff ?OPTIONS? ?FILE1? ?FILE2 ...?

Show the difference between the current version of each of the FILEs specified (as they exist on disk) and that same file as it was checked out. Or if the FILE arguments are omitted, show all unsaved changes currently in the working check-out.

The default output format is a "unified patch" (the same as the output of "diff -u" on most unix systems). Many alternative formats are available. A few of the more useful alternatives:

--tk
Pop up a TCL/TK-based GUI to show the diff
--by
Show a side-by-side diff in the default web browser
-b
Show a linear diff in the default web browser
-y
Show a text side-by-side diff
--webpage
Format output as HTML
--webpage -y
HTML output in the side-by-side format

The "--from VERSION" option is used it specifies the source check-in for the diff operation. If not specified, the source check-in is the base check-in for the current check-out. Similarly, the "--to VERSION" option specifies the check-in from which the second version of the file or files is taken. If there is no "--to" option then the (possibly edited) files in the current check-out are used. The "--checkin VERSION" option shows the changes made by check-in VERSION relative to its primary parent. The "--branch BRANCHNAME" shows all the changes on the branch BRANCHNAME.

The "-i" command-line option forces the use of Fossils own the internal diff logic rather than any external diff program that might be configured using the "setting" command. If no external diff program is configured, then the "-i" option is a no-op. The "-i" option converts "gdiff" into "diff".

The "--diff-binary" option enables or disables the inclusion of binary files when using an external diff program.

The "--binary" option causes files matching the glob PATTERN to be treated as binary when considering if they should be used with external diff program. This option overrides the "binary-glob" setting.

These command show differences between managed files. Use the "fossil xdiff" command to see differences in unmanaged files.

Options:

--binary PATTERN
Treat files that match the glob PATTERN as binary
--branch BRANCH
Show diff of all changes on BRANCH
--brief
Show filenames only
-b|--browser
Show the diff output in a web-browser
--by
Shorthand for "--browser -y"
-ci|--checkin VERSION
Show diff of all changes in VERSION
--command PROG
External diff program. Overrides "diff-command"
-c|--context N
Show N lines of context around each change
--diff-binary BOOL
Include binary files with external commands
--exec-abs-paths
Force absolute path names on external commands
--exec-rel-paths
Force relative path names on external commands
-r|--from VERSION
Select VERSION as source for the diff
-w|--ignore-all-space
Ignore white space when comparing lines
-i|--internal
Use internal diff logic
--json
Output formatted as JSON
-N|--new-file
Alias for --verbose
--numstat
Show only the number of lines delete and added
-y|--side-by-side
Side-by-side diff
--strip-trailing-cr
Strip trailing CR
--tcl
TCL-formated output used internally by --tk
--tclsh PATH
TCL/TK used for --tk (default: "tclsh")
--tk
Launch a Tcl/Tk GUI for display
--to VERSION
Select VERSION as target for the diff
--undo
Diff against the "undo" buffer
--unified
Unified diff
-v|--verbose
Output complete text of added or deleted files
--webpage
Format output as a stand-alone HTML webpage
-W|--width N
Width of lines in side-by-side diff
-Z|--ignore-trailing-space
Ignore changes to end-of-line whitespace