# diff(1)

    NAME
         diff - print differences between two files

    SYNOPSIS
         diff   [-c | -e | -C n] [-br]file1 file2

    OPTIONS

         -C n Produce output that contains n lines of context

         -b   Ignore white space when comparing

         -c   Produce output that contains three lines of context

         -e   Produce an ed-script to convert file1 into file2

         -r   Apply diff recursively to files and directories of  the  same  name,
              when file1 and file2 are both directories

    EXAMPLES

         diff file1 file2    # Print differences between 2 files

         diff -C 0 file1 file2
                             # Same as above

         diff -C 3 file1 file2
                             # Output three lines of context with every difference
                             encountered

         diff -c file1 file2 # Same

         diff /etc /dev      # Compares recursively the directories /etc and /dev

         diff passwd /etc    # Compares ./passwd to /etc/passwd

    DESCRIPTION

         Diff compares two files and generates a list of lines telling how the two
         files  differ.   Lines may not be longer than 128 characters.  If the two
         arguments on the command line  are  both  directories,  diff  recursively
         steps  through  all subdirectories comparing files of the same name. If a
         file name is found only in one directory, a diagnostic message is written
         to  stdout.  A file that is of either block special, character special or
         FIFO special type, cannot be compared to any other file.   On  the  other
         hand,  if  there is one directory and one file given on the command line,
         diff tries to compare the  file  with  the  same  name  as  file  in  the
         directory directory.

    SEE ALSO
         cdiff(1), cmp(1), comm(1), patch(1).