Git Diff and Comparing Files/Commits
Git’s diff command is crucial for examining changes made to your project. It highlights differences between files or commits.
git diff:
-
Comparing Working Directory to Staging Area/Last Commit: The simplest use of
git diffshows the differences between your current working directory and the last commit (or the staging area if you’ve staged changes). Unstaged changes are shown with a-(deleted) or+(added) prefix. Example:git diff -
Comparing Two Files: You can also compare two specific files:
git diff file1.txt file2.txt -
Comparing to a Specific Commit: Compare your current working directory to a specific commit using its hash:
git diff <commit-hash>Use
git log --oneline(explained below) to find the commit hashes. -
Visual Studio Code’s Source Control Editor: VS Code offers a user-friendly interface to view changes, stage them, and commit directly from the source control panel.
Viewing Diff Output:
The output of git diff shows additions with a + and deletions with a -. Moving or renaming files will be presented as deletions and additions. The : character often indicates the end of the diff output for a single file; press ‘Q’ to exit the output.
git log --oneline:
This command displays a concise summary of the commit history, useful when working with many commits:
git log --onelineIt shows each commit hash, branch name (if applicable), and the commit message on a single line. This makes it easy to copy specific commit hashes needed for the git diff command.
Git Lens Extension (VS Code):
The Git Lens extension enhances the diff functionality within VS Code by providing more visual ways to compare changes across branches and commits, making it much easier to navigate a large history.
In Summary:
git diff provides a powerful way to review changes. Coupled with the concise output of git log --oneline and potentially enhanced with the Git Lens extension, you can efficiently navigate and understand the differences between versions of your project.