Git - Difftastic Manual
Description: The official manual for difftastic, the syntactic differ

# Git

Git supports external diff tools. You can use `GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF` for a one-off git command.

    $ GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF=difft git diff
    $ GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF=difft git log -p --ext-diff
    $ GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF=difft git show e96a7241760319 --ext-diff

If you want to use difftastic by default, use `git config`.

    # Set git configuration for the current repository.
    $ git config diff.external difft

    # Set git configuration for all repositories.
    $ git config --global diff.external difft

After running `git config`, `git diff` will use `difft` automatically. Other git commands require `--ext-diff` to use `diff.external`.

    $ git diff
    $ git log -p --ext-diff
    $ git show e96a7241760319 --ext-diff

## git-difftool

git difftool is a git command for viewing the current changes with a different diff tool. It's useful if you want to use difftastic occasionally.

Add the following to your `.gitconfig` to use difftastic as your difftool.

    [diff]
            tool = difftastic

    [difftool]
            prompt = false

    [difftool "difftastic"]
            cmd = difft "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"

You can then run `git difftool` to see current changes with difftastic.

    $ git difftool

We also recommend the following settings to get the best difftool experience.

    # Use a pager for large output, just like other git commands.
    [pager]
            difftool = true

    # `git dft` is less to type than `git difftool`.
    [alias]
            dft = difftool