A modern diff utility
Information Options
For those not installing from a distribution, diffoscope includes --list-tools DISTRO
, which lists dependencies, and --list-missing-tools DISTRO
, which lists the external tools not currently installed on a system. You can get a sense of which distributions are contributing to diffoscope from some of the information options. In both commands, the distro must be specified as either Arch, Debian, or FreeBSD. For Debian, the option --list-debian-substvars
displays dependencies that are required or simply recommended. All three options list what is required for full functionality. Depending on how you use diffoscope, it may function without all the packages listed (Figure 3).
![](/var/linux_magazin/storage/images/issues/2020/240/command-line-diffoscope/figure-3/776112-1-eng-US/Figure-31_large.png)
A Work in Progress
As I write, diffoscope is still in rapid development. As a result, some features are missing. Unlike diff
, diffoscope has yet to support a two-column view, a feature that makes comparison handy. Moreover, while the list of supported formats is already impressive, it would be useful to support all the LibreOffice modules.
However, it seems clear that diffoscope has quickly expanded beyond its original purpose. In particular, as a writer, I was pleased to find that diffoscope is well-suited to comparing drafts, something that I do regularly when writing fiction or long non-fiction. After using it for a couple of weeks, already I wonder how I got along without it. It has become a tool that I use daily and have come to depend on.
Infos
- diffoscope: https://diffoscope.org/
- Reproducible Builds: https://wiki.debian.org/ReproducibleBuilds
« Previous 1 2
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
![Learn More](https://www.linux-magazine.com/var/linux_magazin/storage/images/media/linux-magazine-eng-us/images/misc/learn-more/834592-1-eng-US/Learn-More_medium.png)
News
-
NVIDIA Released Driver for Upcoming NVIDIA 560 GPU for Linux
Not only has NVIDIA released the driver for its upcoming CPU series, it's the first release that defaults to using open-source GPU kernel modules.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 24.07 Released
If you’re into rolling release Linux distributions, OpenMandriva ROME has a new snapshot with a new kernel.
-
Kernel 6.10 Available for General Usage
Linus Torvalds has released the 6.10 kernel and it includes significant performance increases for Intel Core hybrid systems and more.
-
TUXEDO Computers Releases InfinityBook Pro 14 Gen9 Laptop
Sporting either AMD or Intel CPUs, the TUXEDO InfinityBook Pro 14 is an extremely compact, lightweight, sturdy powerhouse.
-
Google Extends Support for Linux Kernels Used for Android
Because the LTS Linux kernel releases are so important to Android, Google has decided to extend the support period beyond that offered by the kernel development team.
-
Linux Mint 22 Stable Delayed
If you're anxious about getting your hands on the stable release of Linux Mint 22, it looks as if you're going to have to wait a bit longer.
-
Nitrux 3.5.1 Available for Install
The latest version of the immutable, systemd-free distribution includes an updated kernel and NVIDIA driver.
-
Debian 12.6 Released with Plenty of Bug Fixes and Updates
The sixth update to Debian "Bookworm" is all about security mitigations and making adjustments for some "serious problems."
-
Canonical Offers 12-Year LTS for Open Source Docker Images
Canonical is expanding its LTS offering to reach beyond the DEB packages with a new distro-less Docker image.
-
Plasma Desktop 6.1 Released with Several Enhancements
If you're a fan of Plasma Desktop, you should be excited about this new point release.