Hopefully final update to the draft Release Notes, preparing for 1.5.1

[git.git] / Documentation / git-diff.txt

diff --git a/Documentation/git-diff.txt b/Documentation/git-diff.txt
index 3144864d85009824996e3067e78adeadedc63c3d..044cee9b425bedc7addd9a4418b553557902711b 100644 (file)
--- a/Documentation/git-diff.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-diff.txt
@@ -8,38 +8,61 @@ git-diff - Show changes between commits, commit and working tree, etc
 
 SYNOPSIS
 --------
-'git-diff' [ --diff-options ] <tree-ish>{0,2} [<path>...]
+'git-diff' [<common diff options>] <commit>{0,2} [--] [<path>...]
 
 DESCRIPTION
 -----------
 Show changes between two trees, a tree and the working tree, a
 tree and the index file, or the index file and the working tree.
-The combination of what is compared with what is determined by
-the number of trees given to the command.
 
-* When no <tree-ish> is given, the working tree and the index
-  file are compared, using `git-diff-files`.
+'git-diff' [--options] [--] [<path>...]::
 
-* When one <tree-ish> is given, the working tree and the named
-  tree are compared, using `git-diff-index`.  The option
-  `--index` can be given to compare the index file and
-  the named tree.
-  `--cached` is a deprecated alias for `--index`. It's use is
-  discouraged.
+       This form is to view the changes you made relative to
+       the index (staging area for the next commit).  In other
+       words, the differences are what you _could_ tell git to
+       further add to the index but you still haven't.  You can
+       stage these changes by using gitlink:git-add[1].
+
+       If exactly two paths are given, and at least one is untracked,
+       compare the two files / directories. This behavior can be
+       forced by --no-index.
+
+'git-diff' [--options] --cached [<commit>] [--] [<path>...]::
+
+       This form is to view the changes you staged for the next
+       commit relative to the named <commit>.  Typically you
+       would want comparison with the latest commit, so if you
+       do not give <commit>, it defaults to HEAD.
+
+'git-diff' [--options] <commit> [--] [<path>...]::
+
+       This form is to view the changes you have in your
+       working tree relative to the named <commit>.  You can
+       use HEAD to compare it with the latest commit, or a
+       branch name to compare with the tip of a different
+       branch.
+
+'git-diff' [--options] <commit> <commit> [--] [<path>...]::
+
+       This form is to view the changes between two <commit>,
+       for example, tips of two branches.
+
+Just in case if you are doing something exotic, it should be
+noted that all of the <commit> in the above description can be
+any <tree-ish>.
+
+For a more complete list of ways to spell <commit>, see
+"SPECIFYING REVISIONS" section in gitlink:git-rev-parse[1].
 
-* When two <tree-ish>s are given, these two trees are compared
-  using `git-diff-tree`.
 
 OPTIONS
 -------
---diff-options::
-       '--diff-options' are passed to the `git-diff-files`,
-       `git-diff-index`, and `git-diff-tree` commands.  See the
-       documentation for these commands for description.
+include::diff-options.txt[]
 
 <path>...::
-       The <path> arguments are also passed to `git-diff-\*`
-       commands.
+       The <paths> parameters, when given, are used to limit
+       the diff to the named paths (you can give directory
+       names and get diff for all files under them).
 
 
 EXAMPLES
@@ -49,11 +72,11 @@ Various ways to check your working tree::
 +
 ------------
 $ git diff            <1>
-$ git diff --index    <2>
+$ git diff --cached   <2>
 $ git diff HEAD       <3>
 ------------
 +
-<1> changes in the working tree since your last git-update-index.
+<1> changes in the working tree not yet staged for the next commit.
 <2> changes between the index and your last commit; what you
 would be committing if you run "git commit" without "-a" option.
 <3> changes in the working tree since your last commit; what you