Git Diff Guide: Compare Commits, Branches, and Staged Changes
Master git diff: compare working tree vs index, staged vs HEAD, commits, and branches. Use --stat, --word-diff, and external diff tools.
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Tags: developer-tools, diff, git
Git Diff Guide: Compare Commits, Branches, and Staged Changes is one of the most versatile commands in Git, and also one of the most underused. Most developers know shows uncommitted changes, but the command can compare any two points in history, filter to specific files, show word-level changes, and produce statistics. This guide covers everything from the basics to the flags that make code review faster. Basic Usage Unstaged changes (working tree vs. index) Shows what you've edited but haven't staged yet. If you've staged everything, this produces no output — common gotcha. Staged changes (index vs. HEAD) Shows what will go into your next commit. Use this before committing to review what you're actually shipping. All uncommitted changes (working tree + staged vs. HEAD) Combines both…
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