# phpman > man > GIT-DIFFTOOL(1) > **TLDR:** Show file changes using external diff tools. Accepts the same options and arguments as `git diff`. > - List available diff tools: `git difftool --tool-help` - Set the default diff tool to Meld: `git config --global diff.tool "meld"` - Use the default diff tool to show staged changes: `git difftool --staged` - Use a specific tool to show changes since a given commit: `git difftool {{-t|--tool}} {{opendiff}} {{commit}}` *Source: tldr-pages* --- [GIT-DIFFTOOL(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/GIT-DIFFTOOL/1/markdown) Git Manual [GIT-DIFFTOOL(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/GIT-DIFFTOOL/1/markdown) ## NAME git-difftool - Show changes using common diff tools ## SYNOPSIS _git_ _difftool_ [] [ []] [--] [...] ## DESCRIPTION _git_ _difftool_ is a Git command that allows you to compare and edit files between revisions using common diff tools. _git_ _difftool_ is a frontend to _git_ _diff_ and accepts the same options and arguments. See [**git-diff**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/git-diff/1/markdown). ## OPTIONS ### -d, --dir-diff Copy the modified files to a temporary location and perform a directory diff on them. This mode never prompts before launching the diff tool. ### -y, --no-prompt Do not prompt before launching a diff tool. ### --prompt Prompt before each invocation of the diff tool. This is the default behaviour; the option is provided to override any configuration settings. --rotate-to= Start showing the diff for the given path, the paths before it will move to end and output. --skip-to= Start showing the diff for the given path, skipping all the paths before it. -t , --tool= Use the diff tool specified by . Valid values include emerge, kompare, meld, and vimdiff. Run **git** **difftool** **--tool-help** for the list of valid settings. If a diff tool is not specified, _git_ _difftool_ will use the configuration variable **diff.tool**. If the configuration variable **diff.tool** is not set, _git_ _difftool_ will pick a suitable default. You can explicitly provide a full path to the tool by setting the configuration variable **difftool..path**. For example, you can configure the absolute path to kdiff3 by setting **difftool.kdiff3.path**. Otherwise, _git_ _difftool_ assumes the tool is available in PATH. Instead of running one of the known diff tools, _git_ _difftool_ can be customized to run an alternative program by specifying the command line to invoke in a configuration variable **difftool..cmd**. When _git_ _difftool_ is invoked with this tool (either through the **-t** or **--tool** option or the **diff.tool** configuration variable) the configured command line will be invoked with the following variables available: **$LOCAL** is set to the name of the temporary file containing the contents of the diff pre-image and **$REMOTE** is set to the name of the temporary file containing the contents of the diff post-image. **$MERGED** is the name of the file which is being compared. **$BASE** is provided for compatibility with custom merge tool commands and has the same value as **$MERGED**. ### --tool-help Print a list of diff tools that may be used with **--tool**. --[no-]symlinks _git_ _difftool_'s default behavior is create symlinks to the working tree when run in **--dir-diff** mode and the right-hand side of the comparison yields the same content as the file in the working tree. Specifying **--no-symlinks** instructs _git_ _difftool_ to create copies instead. **--no-symlinks** is the default on Windows. -x , --extcmd= Specify a custom command for viewing diffs. _git-difftool_ ignores the configured defaults and runs **$command** **$LOCAL** **$REMOTE** when this option is specified. Additionally, **$BASE** is set in the environment. -g, --[no-]gui When _git-difftool_ is invoked with the **-g** or **--gui** option the default diff tool will be read from the configured **diff.guitool** variable instead of **diff.tool**. The **--no-gui** option can be used to override this setting. If **diff.guitool** is not set, we will fallback in the order of **merge.guitool**, **diff.tool**, **merge.tool** until a tool is found. --[no-]trust-exit-code _git-difftool_ invokes a diff tool individually on each file. Errors reported by the diff tool are ignored by default. Use **--trust-exit-code** to make _git-difftool_ exit when an invoked diff tool returns a non-zero exit code. _git-difftool_ will forward the exit code of the invoked tool when **--trust-exit-code** is used. See [**git-diff**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/git-diff/1/markdown) for the full list of supported options. ## CONFIG VARIABLES _git_ _difftool_ falls back to _git_ _mergetool_ config variables when the difftool equivalents have not been defined. diff.tool The default diff tool to use. diff.guitool The default diff tool to use when **--gui** is specified. difftool..path Override the path for the given tool. This is useful in case your tool is not in the PATH. difftool..cmd Specify the command to invoke the specified diff tool. See the **--tool=** option above for more details. difftool.prompt Prompt before each invocation of the diff tool. difftool.trustExitCode Exit difftool if the invoked diff tool returns a non-zero exit status. See the **--trust-exit-code** option above for more details. ## SEE ALSO [**git-diff**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/git-diff/1/markdown) Show changes between commits, commit and working tree, etc [**git-mergetool**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/git-mergetool/1/markdown) Run merge conflict resolution tools to resolve merge conflicts [**git-config**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/git-config/1/markdown) Get and set repository or global options ## GIT Part of the [**git**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/git/1/markdown) suite Git 2.34.1 02/26/2026 [GIT-DIFFTOOL(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/GIT-DIFFTOOL/1/markdown)