git-diff-clean

git-diff-clean

Cleaner git-diff output for terminal and as node library.

• Link to changes via cmd+click
• Emoji to visually group changes in the same file
• Include untracked files
• Stripped down output

Terminal usage

> npx git-diff-clean -h
Options:
      --version           Show version number                          [boolean]
  -p, --includePlusMinus  Include plus/minus signs in the diff output
                                                       [boolean] [default: true]
  -c, --includeColors     Include colors in the diff output
                                                       [boolean] [default: true]
  -e, --includeEmoji      Include emojis next to file names to visually group
                          them.                        [boolean] [default: true]
  -f, --includeFooter     Include a line as a footer to close out the diff
                          output                       [boolean] [default: true]
  -l, --useLess           Use less as the pager to view output
                                                       [boolean] [default: true]
  -u, --includeUntracked  Include untracked files in the diff output (not used
                          when --cached is on)         [boolean] [default: true]
  -g, --cached            Show staged changes (--cached)
                                                       [boolean] [default: false]
  -h, --help              Show help                                    [boolean]

Or faster via bun with bunx git-diff-clean

And if you like it alias d="bunx git-diff-clean"

Library usage

export type DiffOptions = {
  /* Include plus/minus signs in the diff output */
  includePlusMinus: boolean
  /* Include colors in the diff output */
  includeColors: boolean
  /* Include emojis next to file names to visually group them. */
  includeEmoji: boolean
  /* Include a line as a footer to close out the diff output */
  includeFooter: boolean
  /* Show staged changes */
  cached: boolean
}

/**
 * Get the current git diff as a string.
 *
 * @param options [DiffOptions] - Options for the diff output.
 * @returns [String] git diff string
 */
export function getDiff(options: DiffOptions): string { .. }
/**
 * Open the current git diff in less.
 *
 * @param options [DiffOptions] - Options for the diff output.
 */
function showDiff(options: DiffOptions, useLess: boolean = true) { .. }

Why I built this library

I'm building a personal AI coding assistant that often edits multiple files. I found git-diff is a good way to review those changes but it was a little limited. The two capabilities I wanted are (1) make it a bit easier to read and (2) provide a link in VSCode terminal I can click to go directly to the edit.