Diffutils

Computer users often find occasion to ask how two files differ. Perhaps one file is a newer version of the other file. Or maybe the two files started out as identical copies but were changed by different people.

You can use the `diff' command to show differences between two files, or each corresponding file in two directories. `diff' outputs differences between files line by line in any of several formats, selectable by command line options. This set of differences is often called a `diff' or `patch'. For files that are identical, `diff' normally produces no output; for binary (non-text) files, `diff' normally reports only that they are different.

You can use the `cmp' command to show the offsets and line numbers where two files differ. `cmp' can also show all the characters that differ between the two files, side by side.

You can use the `diff3' command to show differences among three files. When two people have made independent changes to a common original, `diff3' can report the differences between the original and the two changed versions, and can produce a merged file that contains both persons' changes together with warnings about conflicts.

You can use the `sdiff' command to merge two files interactively.

Online Manual is available at www.gnu.org/manual/diffutils/index.html

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Updated: 11 Dec 1999 jonas