Definitions For Diff

Verb

{{en-verb}} (transitive, computing) To run a diff program on (files or items) so as to produce a description of the differences between them, as for a patch file. (transitive, computing) To compare two files or other objects, manually or otherwise.

Noun

DIFF (plural DIFFs) (slang) {{abbreviation of, en, difference}} : A peach and an apricot? What's the diff? (computing) Any program which compares two files or sets of files and outputs a description of the differences between them. (computing) The output of a diff program. A diff file. (medicine) {{abbreviation of, en, differential, nodot=1}}: differential of types of white blood cell in a complete blood count. (rock climbing) A difficult route.

Proper noun

{{en-proper noun}} (computing) A program, historically part of the unix operating system, which compares two files or sets of files and outputs a description of the differences between them.