patchide

Patchide is a software tool and file format used to create, edit, apply, and manage patches to software codebases. The name combines patch and IDE, and in practice it may refer to either a standalone patch creation tool or a patching capability embedded in an integrated development environment. Patchide workflows center on capturing changes in a patch file that can be distributed and applied to other copies of a codebase, enabling collaborative code review, incremental updates, and reproducible deployments.

Key features commonly associated with patchide include patch generation from differences between two code states, patch application to a target tree, metadata support (author, date, description, patch type), conflict detection and resolution, and basic testing hooks to verify that a patch applies cleanly and preserves expected behavior. Some implementations provide integration with version control systems, patch repositories, and browsing interfaces that let users view, search, and filter patches.

Patchide tools vary in scope: some are lightweight command-line utilities focused on patch creation and application; others are integrated into general IDEs as plugins or modules that offer in-editor patch editing, syntax highlighting, and patch previews. The ecosystem includes both open-source projects and commercial products, with different licensing models and platform support.

In usage, patches created with patchide are particularly common in open-source development, maintenance workflows, and environments where patch distribution and incremental updates are preferred over full releases.