6 git-difftool - compare changes using common merge tools
10 'git difftool' [--tool=<tool>] [--no-prompt] ['git diff' options]
14 'git-difftool' is a git command that allows you to compare and edit files
15 between revisions using common merge tools. At its most basic level,
16 'git-difftool' does what 'git-mergetool' does but its use is for non-merge
17 situations such as when preparing commits or comparing changes against
20 'git difftool' is a frontend to 'git diff' and accepts the same
21 arguments and options.
23 See linkgit:git-diff[1] for the full list of supported options.
29 Use the merge resolution program specified by <tool>.
30 Valid merge tools are:
31 kdiff3, kompare, tkdiff, meld, xxdiff, emerge,
32 vimdiff, gvimdiff, ecmerge, and opendiff
34 If a merge resolution program is not specified, 'git-difftool'
35 will use the configuration variable `diff.tool`. If the
36 configuration variable `diff.tool` is not set, 'git-difftool'
37 will pick a suitable default.
39 You can explicitly provide a full path to the tool by setting the
40 configuration variable `difftool.<tool>.path`. For example, you
41 can configure the absolute path to kdiff3 by setting
42 `difftool.kdiff3.path`. Otherwise, 'git-difftool' assumes the
43 tool is available in PATH.
45 Instead of running one of the known merge tool programs,
46 'git-difftool' can be customized to run an alternative program
47 by specifying the command line to invoke in a configuration
48 variable `difftool.<tool>.cmd`.
50 When 'git-difftool' is invoked with this tool (either through the
51 `-t` or `--tool` option or the `diff.tool` configuration variable)
52 the configured command line will be invoked with the following
53 variables available: `$LOCAL` is set to the name of the temporary
54 file containing the contents of the diff pre-image and `$REMOTE`
55 is set to the name of the temporary file containing the contents
56 of the diff post-image. `$BASE` is provided for compatibility
57 with custom merge tool commands and has the same value as `$LOCAL`.
60 Do not prompt before launching a diff tool.
64 'git-difftool' falls back to 'git-mergetool' config variables when the
65 difftool equivalents have not been defined.
68 The default merge tool to use.
70 difftool.<tool>.path::
71 Override the path for the given tool. This is useful in case
72 your tool is not in the PATH.
75 Specify the command to invoke the specified merge tool.
77 See the `--tool=<tool>` option above for more details.
80 The original, unedited file content can be saved to a file with
81 a `.orig` extension. Defaults to `true` (i.e. keep the backup files).
86 Show changes between commits, commit and working tree, etc
88 linkgit:git-mergetool[1]::
89 Run merge conflict resolution tools to resolve merge conflicts
91 linkgit:git-config[1]::
92 Get and set repository or global options
97 Written by David Aguilar <davvid@gmail.com>.
101 Documentation by David Aguilar and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
105 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite