(diffutils.info)Invoking diff

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Enter node , (file) or (file)node

13 Invoking 'diff'
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The format for running the 'diff' command is:

     diff OPTIONS... FILES...

   In the simplest case, two file names FROM-FILE and TO-FILE are given,
and 'diff' compares the contents of FROM-FILE and TO-FILE.  A file name
of '-' stands for the standard input.

   If one file is a directory and the other is not, 'diff' compares the
file in the directory whose name is that of the non-directory.  The
non-directory file must not be '-'.

   If two file names are given and both are directories, 'diff' compares
corresponding files in both directories, in alphabetical order; this
comparison is not recursive unless the '--recursive' ('-r') option is
given.  'diff' never compares the actual contents of a directory as if
it were a file.  The file that is fully specified may not be standard
input, because standard input is nameless and the notion of "file with
the same name" does not apply.

   If the '--from-file=FILE' option is given, the number of file names
is arbitrary, and FILE is compared to each named file.  Similarly, if
the '--to-file=FILE' option is given, each named file is compared to
FILE.

   'diff' options begin with '-', so normally file names may not begin
with '-'.  However, '--' as an argument by itself treats the remaining
arguments as file names even if they begin with '-'.

   An exit status of 0 means no differences were found, 1 means some
differences were found, and 2 means trouble.

diff Options

Summary of options to 'diff'.