Documentation/diff-format.adoc - git - Git at Google

 Raw output format
 -----------------

 The raw output format from `git-diff-index`, `git-diff-tree`,
 `git-diff-files` and `git diff --raw` are very similar.

 These commands all compare two sets of things; what is
 compared differs:

 `git-diff-index <tree-ish>`::
 	compares the _<tree-ish>_ and the files on the filesystem.

 `git-diff-index --cached <tree-ish>`::
 	compares the _<tree-ish>_ and the index.

 `git-diff-tree [-r] <tree-ish-1> <tree-ish-2> [<pattern>...]`::
         compares the trees named by the two arguments.

 `git-diff-files [<pattern>...]`::
         compares the index and the files on the filesystem.

 All the commands print one output line per changed file,
 except `git diff-files` in the case of an unmerged file, which prints
 both an "unmerged" and an "in-place edit" line.

 An output line is formatted this way:

 ------------------------------------------------
 in-place edit  :100644 100644 bcd1234 0123456 M file0
 copy-edit      :100644 100644 abcd123 1234567 C68 file1 file2
 rename-edit    :100644 100644 abcd123 1234567 R86 file1 file3
 create         :000000 100644 0000000 1234567 A file4
 delete         :100644 000000 1234567 0000000 D file5
 unmerged       :000000 000000 0000000 0000000 U file6
 ------------------------------------------------

 That is, from the left to the right:

 . a colon.
 . mode for "src"; 000000 if creation, or if "src" is from the index and is unmerged.
 . a space.
 . mode for "dst"; 000000 if deletion, or if "dst" is from the index and is unmerged.
 . a space.
 . sha1 for "src"; 0\{40\} if creation, or if "src" is from the index and is unmerged.
 . a space.
 . sha1 for "dst"; 0\{40\} if deletion, if "dst" is from the index and is unmerged, or if "dst" is from the work tree and is out of sync with the index.
 . a space.
 . status, followed by optional "score" number.
 . a tab or a NUL when `-z` option is used.
 . path for "src"
 . a tab or a NUL when `-z` option is used; only exists for C or R.
 . path for "dst"; only exists for C or R.
 . an LF or a NUL when `-z` option is used, to terminate the record.

 Possible status letters are:

 - `A`: addition of a file
 - `C`: copy of a file into a new one
 - `D`: deletion of a file
 - `M`: modification of the contents or mode of a file
 - `R`: renaming of a file
 - `T`: change in the type of the file (regular file, symbolic link or submodule)
 - `U`: file is unmerged (you must complete the merge before it can
   be committed)
 - `X`: "unknown" change type (most probably a bug, please report it)

 Status letters `C` and `R` are always followed by a score (denoting the
 percentage of similarity between the source and target of the move or
 copy).  Status letter `M` may be followed by a score (denoting the
 percentage of dissimilarity) for file rewrites.

 The sha1 for "dst" is shown as all 0's if a file on the filesystem
 is out of sync with the index.

 Example:

 ------------------------------------------------
 :100644 100644 5be4a4a 0000000 M file.c
 ------------------------------------------------

 Without the `-z` option, pathnames with "unusual" characters are
 quoted as explained for the configuration variable `core.quotePath`
 (see linkgit:git-config[1]).  Using `-z` the filename is output
 verbatim and the line is terminated by a NUL byte.

 diff format for merges
 ----------------------

 `git-diff-tree`, `git-diff-files` and `git-diff --raw`
 can take `-c` or `--cc` option
 to generate diff output also for merge commits.  The output differs
 from the format described above in the following way:

 . there is a colon for each parent
 . there are more "src" modes and "src" sha1
 . status is concatenated status characters for each parent
 . no optional "score" number
 . tab-separated pathname(s) of the file

 For `-c` and `--cc`, only the destination or final path is shown even
 if the file was renamed on any side of history.  With
 `--combined-all-paths`, the name of the path in each parent is shown
 followed by the name of the path in the merge commit.

 Examples for `-c` and `--cc` without `--combined-all-paths`:

 ------------------------------------------------
 ::100644 100644 100644 fabadb8 cc95eb0 4866510 MM	desc.c
 ::100755 100755 100755 52b7a2d 6d1ac04 d2ac7d7 RM	bar.sh
 ::100644 100644 100644 e07d6c5 9042e82 ee91881 RR	phooey.c
 ------------------------------------------------

 Examples when `--combined-all-paths` added to either `-c` or `--cc`:

 ------------------------------------------------
 ::100644 100644 100644 fabadb8 cc95eb0 4866510 MM	desc.c	desc.c	desc.c
 ::100755 100755 100755 52b7a2d 6d1ac04 d2ac7d7 RM	foo.sh	bar.sh	bar.sh
 ::100644 100644 100644 e07d6c5 9042e82 ee91881 RR	fooey.c	fuey.c	phooey.c
 ------------------------------------------------

 Note that 'combined diff' lists only files which were modified from
 all parents.


 include::diff-generate-patch.adoc[]


 other diff formats
 ------------------

 The `--summary` option describes newly added, deleted, renamed and
 copied files.  The `--stat` option adds `diffstat`(1) graph to the
 output.  These options can be combined with other options, such as
 `-p`, and are meant for human consumption.

 When showing a change that involves a rename or a copy, `--stat` output
 formats the pathnames compactly by combining common prefix and suffix of
 the pathnames.  For example, a change that moves `arch/i386/Makefile` to
 `arch/x86/Makefile` while modifying 4 lines will be shown like this:

 ------------------------------------
 arch/{i386 => x86}/Makefile    |   4 +--
 ------------------------------------

 The `--numstat` option gives the diffstat(1) information but is designed
 for easier machine consumption.  An entry in `--numstat` output looks
 like this:

 ----------------------------------------
 1	2	README
 3	1	arch/{i386 => x86}/Makefile
 ----------------------------------------

 That is, from left to right:

 . the number of added lines;
 . a tab;
 . the number of deleted lines;
 . a tab;
 . pathname (possibly with rename/copy information);
 . a newline.

 When `-z` output option is in effect, the output is formatted this way:

 ----------------------------------------
 1	2	README NUL
 3	1	NUL arch/i386/Makefile NUL arch/x86/Makefile NUL
 ----------------------------------------

 That is:

 . the number of added lines;
 . a tab;
 . the number of deleted lines;
 . a tab;
 . a NUL (only exists if renamed/copied);
 . pathname in preimage;
 . a NUL (only exists if renamed/copied);
 . pathname in postimage (only exists if renamed/copied);
 . a NUL.

 The extra `NUL` before the preimage path in renamed case is to allow
 scripts that read the output to tell if the current record being read is
 a single-path record or a rename/copy record without reading ahead.
 After reading added and deleted lines, reading up to `NUL` would yield
 the pathname, but if that is `NUL`, the record will show two paths.
	Raw output format
	-----------------

	The raw output format from `git-diff-index`, `git-diff-tree`,
	`git-diff-files` and `git diff --raw` are very similar.

	These commands all compare two sets of things; what is
	compared differs:

	`git-diff-index <tree-ish>`::
	compares the _<tree-ish>_ and the files on the filesystem.

	`git-diff-index --cached <tree-ish>`::
	compares the _<tree-ish>_ and the index.

	`git-diff-tree [-r] <tree-ish-1> <tree-ish-2> [<pattern>...]`::
	compares the trees named by the two arguments.

	`git-diff-files [<pattern>...]`::
	compares the index and the files on the filesystem.

	All the commands print one output line per changed file,
	except `git diff-files` in the case of an unmerged file, which prints
	both an "unmerged" and an "in-place edit" line.

	An output line is formatted this way:

	------------------------------------------------
	in-place edit :100644 100644 bcd1234 0123456 M file0
	copy-edit :100644 100644 abcd123 1234567 C68 file1 file2
	rename-edit :100644 100644 abcd123 1234567 R86 file1 file3
	create :000000 100644 0000000 1234567 A file4
	delete :100644 000000 1234567 0000000 D file5
	unmerged :000000 000000 0000000 0000000 U file6
	------------------------------------------------

	That is, from the left to the right:

	. a colon.
	. mode for "src"; 000000 if creation, or if "src" is from the index and is unmerged.
	. a space.
	. mode for "dst"; 000000 if deletion, or if "dst" is from the index and is unmerged.
	. a space.
	. sha1 for "src"; 0\{40\} if creation, or if "src" is from the index and is unmerged.
	. a space.
	. sha1 for "dst"; 0\{40\} if deletion, if "dst" is from the index and is unmerged, or if "dst" is from the work tree and is out of sync with the index.
	. a space.
	. status, followed by optional "score" number.
	. a tab or a NUL when `-z` option is used.
	. path for "src"
	. a tab or a NUL when `-z` option is used; only exists for C or R.
	. path for "dst"; only exists for C or R.
	. an LF or a NUL when `-z` option is used, to terminate the record.

	Possible status letters are:

	- `A`: addition of a file
	- `C`: copy of a file into a new one
	- `D`: deletion of a file
	- `M`: modification of the contents or mode of a file
	- `R`: renaming of a file
	- `T`: change in the type of the file (regular file, symbolic link or submodule)
	- `U`: file is unmerged (you must complete the merge before it can
	be committed)
	- `X`: "unknown" change type (most probably a bug, please report it)

	Status letters `C` and `R` are always followed by a score (denoting the
	percentage of similarity between the source and target of the move or
	copy). Status letter `M` may be followed by a score (denoting the
	percentage of dissimilarity) for file rewrites.

	The sha1 for "dst" is shown as all 0's if a file on the filesystem
	is out of sync with the index.

	Example:

	------------------------------------------------
	:100644 100644 5be4a4a 0000000 M file.c
	------------------------------------------------

	Without the `-z` option, pathnames with "unusual" characters are
	quoted as explained for the configuration variable `core.quotePath`
	(see linkgit:git-config[1]). Using `-z` the filename is output
	verbatim and the line is terminated by a NUL byte.

	diff format for merges
	----------------------

	`git-diff-tree`, `git-diff-files` and `git-diff --raw`
	can take `-c` or `--cc` option
	to generate diff output also for merge commits. The output differs
	from the format described above in the following way:

	. there is a colon for each parent
	. there are more "src" modes and "src" sha1
	. status is concatenated status characters for each parent
	. no optional "score" number
	. tab-separated pathname(s) of the file

	For `-c` and `--cc`, only the destination or final path is shown even
	if the file was renamed on any side of history. With
	`--combined-all-paths`, the name of the path in each parent is shown
	followed by the name of the path in the merge commit.

	Examples for `-c` and `--cc` without `--combined-all-paths`:

	------------------------------------------------
	::100644 100644 100644 fabadb8 cc95eb0 4866510 MM desc.c
	::100755 100755 100755 52b7a2d 6d1ac04 d2ac7d7 RM bar.sh
	::100644 100644 100644 e07d6c5 9042e82 ee91881 RR phooey.c
	------------------------------------------------

	Examples when `--combined-all-paths` added to either `-c` or `--cc`:

	------------------------------------------------
	::100644 100644 100644 fabadb8 cc95eb0 4866510 MM desc.c desc.c desc.c
	::100755 100755 100755 52b7a2d 6d1ac04 d2ac7d7 RM foo.sh bar.sh bar.sh
	::100644 100644 100644 e07d6c5 9042e82 ee91881 RR fooey.c fuey.c phooey.c
	------------------------------------------------

	Note that 'combined diff' lists only files which were modified from
	all parents.


	include::diff-generate-patch.adoc[]


	other diff formats
	------------------

	The `--summary` option describes newly added, deleted, renamed and
	copied files. The `--stat` option adds `diffstat`(1) graph to the
	output. These options can be combined with other options, such as
	`-p`, and are meant for human consumption.

	When showing a change that involves a rename or a copy, `--stat` output
	formats the pathnames compactly by combining common prefix and suffix of
	the pathnames. For example, a change that moves `arch/i386/Makefile` to
	`arch/x86/Makefile` while modifying 4 lines will be shown like this:

	------------------------------------
	arch/{i386 => x86}/Makefile \| 4 +--
	------------------------------------

	The `--numstat` option gives the diffstat(1) information but is designed
	for easier machine consumption. An entry in `--numstat` output looks
	like this:

	----------------------------------------
	1 2 README
	3 1 arch/{i386 => x86}/Makefile
	----------------------------------------

	That is, from left to right:

	. the number of added lines;
	. a tab;
	. the number of deleted lines;
	. a tab;
	. pathname (possibly with rename/copy information);
	. a newline.

	When `-z` output option is in effect, the output is formatted this way:

	----------------------------------------
	1 2 README NUL
	3 1 NUL arch/i386/Makefile NUL arch/x86/Makefile NUL
	----------------------------------------

	That is:

	. the number of added lines;
	. a tab;
	. the number of deleted lines;
	. a tab;
	. a NUL (only exists if renamed/copied);
	. pathname in preimage;
	. a NUL (only exists if renamed/copied);
	. pathname in postimage (only exists if renamed/copied);
	. a NUL.

	The extra `NUL` before the preimage path in renamed case is to allow
	scripts that read the output to tell if the current record being read is
	a single-path record or a rename/copy record without reading ahead.
	After reading added and deleted lines, reading up to `NUL` would yield
	the pathname, but if that is `NUL`, the record will show two paths.