diffutils

diffutils is a software package that provides utilities for comparing files and archiving. It is part of the GNU Project and is widely available on Unix-like operating systems, including Linux and macOS. The primary tool in diffutils is the `diff` command, which compares two files line by line and outputs the differences in a format that can be used to transform one file into the other.

The `diff` command has several output formats. The normal format shows lines that need to be added, deleted, or changed to make the first file identical to the second. The context format displays a few lines of surrounding text for each difference, which is useful for understanding changes within larger files. The unified format is a more compact version of the context format, often preferred for use with version control systems.

Another important utility in diffutils is `patch`. This command takes the output generated by `diff` and applies the changes to a file, effectively transforming it. This is commonly used to distribute software updates or to apply bug fixes.

The package also includes the `cmp` command, which compares two files byte by byte and reports the first difference it finds. This is useful for checking if two files are exactly identical.

diffutils plays a crucial role in software development, system administration, and general file management by providing essential tools for tracking and applying changes to text-based data. Its widespread adoption and standard adherence make it a fundamental part of many computing workflows.