Git Version Comparison: Practical Tips for Viewing Code Changes with the diff Command
The `git diff` command in Git is used to view code changes between versions, a fundamental and practical tool. It can compare differences between the working directory and the staging area, the staging area and historical commits, historical versions, and different branches. Core scenarios and corresponding commands are as follows: `git diff <filename>` for comparing the working directory with the staging area; `git diff --staged` for comparing the staging area with historical commits; `git diff <hash1> <hash2>` for comparing historical versions; and `git diff <branch1> <branch2>` for comparing different branches. Useful parameters include: `-w` to ignore whitespace changes, `--name-only` to only display filenames, `--stat` to show line modification statistics, and `--binary` to compare binary files. In the output, `+` indicates added content and `-` indicates deleted content. Mastering `diff` enables efficient management of code changes and helps avoid accidental commits.
Read MoreGit Version Comparison: How to View Code Differences Between Different Versions
Git version comparison is a fundamental and commonly used operation, tracking code changes through diff tools to facilitate collaboration and management. Scenarios requiring version comparison include: locating development errors, checking the staging area before commits, understanding differences before merging branches, and confirming content before rolling back. Common commands and scenarios: 1. Differences between the working directory and the staging area: `git diff`; 2. Differences between the staging area and the most recent commit: `git diff --staged`; 3. Differences between two historical commits: `git diff <commit1> <commit2>` (supports relative commit names like `HEAD~n`); 4. Differences between two branches: `git diff branch1 branch2`; 5. Viewing the content of a single commit: `git show <commit-id>`. Graphical tools (such as VS Code, GitKraken) are suitable for beginners. Mastering commands for different scenarios enables efficient code version management.
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