DifferentialPatches

DifferentialPatches is a software development concept and often a specific implementation related to managing and applying changes to codebases. It is a technique used to describe the difference between two versions of a file or a set of files, typically a source file and its modified version. These differences, or "patches," can then be applied to the original file to transform it into the modified version. This is a fundamental mechanism in version control systems like Git, Subversion, and Mercurial, allowing developers to share and integrate code changes efficiently.

The core idea behind differential patching is to represent only the modifications rather than the entire new file. This significantly reduces the amount of data that needs to be transmitted, stored, or processed. When a developer makes changes, a diff tool compares the current state with a previous state, generating a patch file containing instructions on how to add, delete, or modify lines of code. These patch files are crucial for collaborative development, enabling teams to merge individual contributions without overwriting each other's work. Applying a patch involves reading these instructions and performing the corresponding operations on the target file.