# phpman > man > diff3(1)

> **TLDR:** Compare three files line by line.
>
- Compare files:
  `diff3 {{path/to/file1}} {{path/to/file2}} {{path/to/file3}}`
- Show all changes, outlining conflicts:
  `diff3 {{-A|--show-all}} {{path/to/file1}} {{path/to/file2}} {{path/to/file3}}`

*Source: tldr-pages*

---

[DIFF3(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/DIFF3/1/markdown)                                    User Commands                                   [DIFF3(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/DIFF3/1/markdown)



## NAME
       diff3 - compare three files line by line

## SYNOPSIS
       **diff3** [_OPTION_]... _MYFILE_ _OLDFILE_ _YOURFILE_

## DESCRIPTION
       Compare three files line by line.

       Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

### -A --show-all
              output all changes, bracketing conflicts

### -e --ed
              output ed script incorporating changes from OLDFILE to YOURFILE into MYFILE

### -E --show-overlap
              like **-e**, but bracket conflicts

### -3 --easy-only
              like **-e**, but incorporate only nonoverlapping changes

### -x --overlap-only
              like **-e**, but incorporate only overlapping changes

### -X -x

### -i

### -m --merge
              output actual merged file, according to **-A** if no other options are given

### -a --text
              treat all files as text

### --strip-trailing-cr
              strip trailing carriage return on input

### -T --initial-tab
              make tabs line up by prepending a tab

       **--diff-program**=_PROGRAM_
              use PROGRAM to compare files

### -L --label
              use LABEL instead of file name (can be repeated up to three times)

       **--help** display this help and exit

### -v --version
              output version information and exit

       The default output format is a somewhat human-readable representation of the changes.

       The  **-e**,  **-E**, **-x**, **-X** (and corresponding long) options cause an ed script to be output instead
       of the default.

       Finally, the **-m** (**--merge**) option causes diff3 to do the merge internally and output  the  ac‐
       tual merged file.  For unusual input, this is more robust than using ed.

       If  a FILE is '-', read standard input.  Exit status is 0 if successful, 1 if conflicts, 2 if
       trouble.

## AUTHOR
       Written by Randy Smith.

## REPORTING BUGS
       Report bugs to: <bug-diffutils@gnu.org>
       GNU diffutils home page: <<https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/>>
       General help using GNU software: <<https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>>

## COPYRIGHT
       Copyright © 2021 Free Software Foundation, Inc.  License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3  or  later
       <<https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>>.
       This  is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.  There is NO WARRANTY, to
       the extent permitted by law.

## SEE ALSO
       [cmp(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/cmp/1/markdown), [diff(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/diff/1/markdown), [sdiff(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/sdiff/1/markdown)

       The full documentation for **diff3** is maintained as a Texinfo manual.  If the  **info**  and  **diff3**
       programs are properly installed at your site, the command

              **info** **diff3**

       should give you access to the complete manual.



diffutils 3.8                                August 2021                                    [DIFF3(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/DIFF3/1/markdown)