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GlossaryProductsNew to AI

Diff

Also written: difference, Inline diffs, Diff surface, diff view, difference view

A diff shows the changes between two versions of a file or document.

In plain terms

A diff, short for difference, is a report that highlights what has changed between two versions of a file or document. Think of it like a "track changes" feature in a word processor, but for any kind of file, especially computer code.

For example, if you have a document and you make some edits, a diff would show you exactly which words you added, which ones you deleted, and which ones you modified. This is incredibly useful for understanding the evolution of a project or for reviewing changes made by others.

The expert version

A diff is a representation of the differences between two versions of a file or a set of files. It typically takes the form of a patch file or a visual report, detailing lines added, removed, or modified. This is a fundamental tool in software development for version control, code review, and collaboration, allowing developers to track changes, merge different code branches, and identify bugs.

Why it matters now

Recent updates from Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot highlight the use of diff views to streamline code review and manage large changes in development workflows. These tools are improving how developers interact with code differences, making it easier to understand and manage updates, especially within AI-powered coding assistants.

Where it shows up 7 items, newest first
How each company uses it
Google Gemini
Google Gemini's code audit tool uses diffs to ignore unrelated historical changes, improving code review accuracy.
Microsoft Copilot
Microsoft Copilot leverages diff views in its GitHub Copilot app to help users review large pull requests and understand AI-generated code changes.
OpenAI ChatGPT
OpenAI's tools, like Codex, likely use diffs for code review and managing changes within their AI coding agents.
Related terms

version controlgitpatchcode reviewAI agentLLM

Often confused with
Patch
A patch is a specific type of diff file that can be applied to a file to
Merge conflict
A merge conflict occurs when two different sets of changes to th
Origin

The concept of diffing files has been a core part of Unix utilities since the early days of computing, with the `diff` command being a standard tool for comparing text files. Source ↗

Try this about 5 minutes

You can see a diff in action by using a version control system like Git. Make a small change to a text file, then use `git diff` in your terminal to see exactly what you changed. This will show you the lines added and removed.

Try it: Playbook entries that use thisPlaybook →

The Playbook: reusable how-tos, prompts, configs and tips pulled out of the news.

Questions people ask

What does a diff show?
A diff shows the specific lines that were added, deleted, or changed between two versions of a file.
Why are diffs important in coding?
Diffs are crucial for tracking code changes, collaborating with other developers, and reviewing code for errors or improvements.

First seen on Subvolts May 16, 2025. Updated Oct 14, 2026. Written by an AI model from the items above and reviewed against them weekly; report an error.