diff—compares two files for differences

[–bitw] [–c | –Cn]

Compares two files and displays the differences on a line-by-line basis. Also displays commands that you would use with the ed editor to make changes.

Example A.20.

diff file1 file2

1c1

< hello there

---

> Hello there.

2a3

> I'm fine.

EXPLANATION

Shows how each line of file1 and file2 differs. The first file is represented by the < symbol, and the second file by the > symbol. Each line is preceded by an ed command indicating the editing command that would be used to make the files the same.