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How do I view a git diff with syntax highlighting?

Paste unified diff output from git diff and see it rendered with syntax highlighting, line numbers, and color-coded additions/deletions. Switch between inline and side-by-side views. The tool shows per-file stats and a total summary. Collapsible file sections help you focus. Everything runs in your browser.

View file modification
Input
--- a/config.ts
+++ b/config.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 const config = {
-  port: 3000,
+  port: 8080,
 };
Output
config.ts: 1 addition, 1 deletion
  const config = {
-   port: 3000,
+   port: 8080,
  };
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Git Diff Viewer

Paste unified diff output (from git diff) and view it with syntax highlighting, line numbers, and side-by-side or inline display.

Ctrl+Enter to parse
Samples:

Paste a unified diff above to render it with syntax highlighting and line numbers.

Tips & Best Practices

Pro Tip

Side-by-side view is better for small changes, inline for large refactors

Side-by-side (split) view clearly shows character-level differences in modified lines, ideal for code review of small changes. Inline (unified) view is better for understanding the flow of large refactors where lines move between functions.

Common Pitfall

Whitespace-only changes hide real code changes in diffs

Reformatting indentation or switching tabs to spaces can generate hundreds of diff lines that bury actual logic changes. Use `git diff -w` to ignore whitespace changes, or configure your diff viewer to collapse whitespace-only diffs.

Real-World Example

Review diffs file-by-file, not as one massive scroll

A 500-line diff across 20 files is overwhelming as a continuous scroll. Collapsible file sections let you review one file at a time, mark files as reviewed, and focus on the files you know are critical first.

Security Note

Always diff before committing to catch accidentally staged secrets

`git diff --staged` shows exactly what you're about to commit. Review it for accidentally added .env files, hardcoded tokens, debug credentials, or console.log statements before every commit. This 10-second habit prevents security incidents.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I read git diff output?
Git diff output shows changes using unified diff format. Lines starting with --- indicate the original file and +++ the modified file. @@ markers show line number ranges. Lines prefixed with - (red) were removed, + (green) were added, and no prefix are unchanged context. DevBolt's Git Diff Viewer parses this raw output and renders it with syntax highlighting. You can toggle between inline mode (changes shown sequentially) and side-by-side mode (old and new versions in parallel columns) for easier comparison.
What is the difference between inline and side-by-side diff views?
Inline diff shows changes sequentially in a single column — removed lines in red followed by added lines in green. This is compact and matches the standard unified diff format. Side-by-side view displays the old version on the left and new version on the right with corresponding lines aligned. Side-by-side is easier for reviewing modifications to individual lines. Inline is better for insertions, deletions, and narrow viewports. Most code review tools like GitHub default to side-by-side but let you toggle.
How do I generate a git diff to paste into the viewer?
Run git diff for unstaged changes, git diff --staged for staged changes, or git diff HEAD~1 to compare against the previous commit. To compare branches, use git diff main..feature-branch. Copy the output from your terminal or redirect it to a file with git diff > changes.patch. Paste the raw unified diff output into DevBolt's viewer to see it rendered with syntax highlighting and color-coded changes, which is much easier to read than raw terminal output.

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