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A '''[[w:Diff|diff]]''' (short for difference) displays the changes between two revisions of a page.
Diffs are a fundamental component of navigation and content moderation on MediaWiki wikis.

The platforms in the wiki ecosystem have several versions of a diff depending on which device and installation of MediaWiki is being used.

== When and why to use a diff? ==
The main reason to use a diff is to review a specific change to a page made by yourself or someone else.
There are many possible reasons to do this:

* To help find instances of vandalism
* To determine when a section, sentence, or word was added or removed
* To determine which editor made a given change
* As a starting point to further actions as the diff contains [[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Editing pages|{{int|editold}}]], [[Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Reverts#Undo|{{int|editundo}}]], and other actions as well as links to the editor's user and talk pages.

== How to navigate to view a diff? ==

The most common way to view a diff is through the "[[Special:MyLanguage/Help:History|Revision history]]".
This is accessible via the <code>{{int|skin-view-history}}</code> tab.
From there, you can use <code>{{int|last}}</code> to view diffs of single revisions, or use the radio buttons and the <code>{{int|compareselectedversions}}</code> button to view diffs across multiple revisions.

Most [[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Special pages|special pages]] that list changes will usually include links to diffs, such as:

* [[Special:RecentChanges]]
* [[Special:Watchlist]]
* [[Special:Contributions]]
* [[Special:Relatedchanges]]

Another way to view a diff is with the [[Special:Diff]] page.
To use this, you must know the IDs of the revisions you want to compare.
Revision IDs can be retrieved by looking at the <code>diff=123</code> portion of a diff URL, where <code>123</code> is the diff ID.
Additionally, you can use the value of the <code>oldid</code> parameter to get the diff of that revision against the previous one.

== Components to a diff ==

Below is a visual representation of the important components of a diff page which you will see when viewing the difference between two versions.

[[File:Diff-components.svg|thumb|Components of a diff|none|600px]]

This interactive example shows the top of the diff page (some of the links are dummy links).
The older revision is shown on the left, the newer revision on the right.

<blockquote style="border:1px solid; padding:1em;">
{| class="diff diff-contentalign-{{dir|{{pagelang2}}|right|left}} diff-editfont-monospace" border="0" style="border-spacing:4px; table-layout:fixed; width:98%"
|- style="height:1px" 
| style="width:2%" |
| style="width:48%" |
| style="width:2%" |
| style="width:48%" |
|- class="diff-title"
| colspan="2" class="diff-otitle diff-side-deleted" | <div class="mw-diff-otitle1"><strong>[[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Page history|{{int|revisionasof|22:32, 3 {{int|august}} 2003}}]] {{int|parentheses|[[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Editing|{{int|editold}}]]}}</strong></div>
<div class="mw-diff-otitle2">[[User:Tim Starling|Tim Starling]] {{int|parentheses|[[User talk:Tim Starling|{{int|talkpagelinktext}}]] {{int|pipe-separator}} [[Special:MyLanguage/Help:User contributions|{{int|contribslink}}]]}}</div>
<div class="mw-diff-otitle3"><span class="comment">{{int|parentheses|[[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit summary|Edit summaries]] in diffs are great}}</span></div>
<div class="mw-diff-otitle4">[[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Page history|{{int|previousdiff}}]]</div>
| colspan="2" class="diff-otitle diff-side-added" |<div class="mw-diff-otitle1"><strong>[[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Page history|{{int|revisionasof|00:10, 18 {{int|august}} 2003}}]] {{int|parentheses|[[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Editing|{{int|editold}}]]}} {{int|parentheses|[[Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Reverts|{{int|editundo}}]]}} {{int|parentheses|[[Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Thanks|{{int|thanks-thank}}]]}}</strong></div>
<div class="mw-diff-otitle2">[[User:Angela|Angela]] {{int|parentheses|[[User_talk:Angela|{{int|talkpagelinktext}}]] | [[Special:MyLanguage/Help:User contributions|{{int|contribslink}}]]}}    <span class="mw-rollback-link">[[Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Rollback|{{int|rollbacklinkcount|1}}]]</span></div>
<div class="mw-diff-otitle3"><abbr class="minoredit" title="{{int|recentchanges-label-minor}}">{{int|minoreditletter}}</abbr> <span class="comment">{{int|parentheses|correction, + [[MediaWiki User's Guide]]}}</span></div>
<div class="mw-diff-otitle4"> </div>
|-
| colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" | {{int|lineno|{{formatnum:8}}}}
| colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" | {{int|lineno|{{formatnum:8}}}}
|-
| class="diff-marker" |  
| class="diff-context diff-side-deleted" | For sysops and those with the rollback flag, a revert button is shown allowing them to revert from the new version to the old one.
| class="diff-marker" |  
| class="diff-context diff-side-deleted" | For sysops and those with the rollback flag, a revert button is shown allowing them to revert from the new version to the old one.
|-
| class="diff-marker" | −
| class="diff-deletedline diff-side-deleted" | This is only shown when viewing the diff between the <del style="color: black" class="diffchange diffchange-inline">current</del> version and the one <del style="color: black" class="diffchange diffchange-inline">immediately preceding it</del>.
| class="diff-marker" | +
| class="diff-addedline diff-side-added" | This is only shown when viewing the diff between the <ins style="color: black" class="diffchange diffchange-inline">recent</ins> version<ins style="color: black" class="diffchange diffchange-inline"> of a page</ins> and<ins style="color:black" class="diffchange diffchange-inline"> the last version by an author other than</ins> the one <ins style="color: black" class="diffchange diffchange-inline">of the most current version</ins>.
|-
| class="diff-marker" |  
| class="diff-context diff-side-deleted" | This example shows the top of the diff page, with the links described above.
| class="diff-marker" |  
| class="diff-context diff-side-deleted" | This example shows the top of the diff page, with the links described above.
|-
| colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" | {{int|lineno|{{formatnum:25}}}}
| colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" | {{int|lineno|{{formatnum:25}}}}
|-
| class="diff-marker" |  
| class="diff-context diff-side-deleted" | <nowiki></table></nowiki>
| class="diff-marker" |  
| class="diff-context diff-side-deleted" | <nowiki></table></nowiki>
|-
|colspan="2" |
| class="diff-marker" | +
| class="diff-addedline diff-side-added" | <nowiki>[[MediaWiki User's Guide]]</nowiki>
|-
|colspan="2" |
| class="diff-marker" | +
| class="diff-addedline diff-side-added" |
|}
</blockquote>

=== Unchanged text ===

Unchanged text is dark grey on light grey (only parts before and after changed text are shown).

{| class="diff diff-contentalign-{{dir|{{pagelang2}}|right|left}} diff-editfont-monospace" style="border-collapse:separate"
|+ Colour key
! align="center" width="200" | Previous diff
! align="center" width="200" | Newer diff
|-
| class="diff-context diff-side-deleted" | Unchanged
| class="diff-context diff-side-added" | Unchanged
|}

=== Moved text ===
Identical text that has moved from one place to another is usually represented as added and removed text.
On MediaWiki installations using {{ll|Wikidiff2}}, there may be an arrow icon more clearly indicating where the moved text went to.

=== Added text ===
Lines containing added text have a plus icon ('''+''') before them.
The added words and characters are highlighted and in bold.

=== Removed text ===
Lines containing removed text have a minus icon ('''−''') before them.
The removed words and characters are highlighted and in bold.

=== Replaced text ===

We can see what has been replaced with new content when there's a + icon and a − icon next to the phrase where the change happened.

Paragraphs which have changed are black on white, with an orange border on the old revision side and a blue border on the new version side.

Inserted and removed text is highlighted with the border color and in bold.
Where whole paragraphs have been removed or inserted, no highlighting or bolding is applied and the other side is blank.

{| class="diff diff-contentalign-{{dir|{{pagelang2}}|right|left}} diff-editfont-monospace" style="border-collapse:separate"
|+Colour key
!align="center" width="200"| Old revision
!align="center" width="200"| New revision
|-
| class="diff-deletedline diff-side-deleted" | Paragraph changed
| class="diff-addedline diff-side-added" | Paragraph changed
|}

{| class="diff diff-contentalign-{{dir|{{pagelang2}}|right|left}} diff-editfont-monospace" style="border-collapse:separate"
|+Colour key
!align="center" width="200"| Old revision
!align="center" width="200"| New revision
|-
| class="diff-deletedline diff-side-deleted" | Paragraph removed
| class="diff-empty diff-side-delete" |  
|-
| class="diff-empty diff-side-added" |  
| class="diff-addedline diff-side-added" | Paragraph added
|}

{| class="diff diff-contentalign-{{dir|{{pagelang2}}|right|left}} diff-editfont-monospace" style="border-collapse:separate"
|+Colour key
!align="center" width="200"| Old revision
!align="center" width="200"| New revision
|-
| class="diff-deletedline diff-side-deleted" | <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline" style="color:black">Removed characters</del>
| class="diff-addedline diff-side-added" | <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline" style="color:black">Added characters</ins>
|}

== Linking to a diff ==

Diffs can be linked to by copying the URL while viewing the diff — this URL has two parameters, <code>diff</code> and <code>oldid</code>.

Linking to a diff from outside a wiki can be done by using the full URL, for example:

* <code><nowiki>https://mediawiki.org/w/index.php?diff=1242287</nowiki></code>

The diff [[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Special pages|special page]] at [[Special:Diff]] makes it easier to create shorter URLs which redirect to diffs.

From within a wiki, these links can take the following forms:

* <code><nowiki>[[Special:Diff/1242287]]</nowiki></code> → [[Special:Diff/1242287]] – Shows the diff to the previous revision of the same page.
* <code><nowiki>[[Special:Diff/1242287/prev]]</nowiki></code> → [[Special:Diff/1242287/prev]] – Shows the diff to the previous revision of the same page.
* <code><nowiki>[[Special:Diff/1242287/next]]</nowiki></code> → [[Special:Diff/1242287/next]] – Shows the diff to the next revision of the same page.
* <code><nowiki>[[Special:Diff/1242287/cur]]</nowiki></code> → [[Special:Diff/1242287/cur]] – Shows the diff to the current revision of the same page.
* <code><nowiki>[[Special:Diff/1242286/1242287]]</nowiki></code> → [[Special:Diff/1242286/1242287]] – Shows the diff between the specified revisions of the same page which may also be reversed, e.g. <code><nowiki>[[Special:Diff/1242287/1242286]]</nowiki></code> → [[Special:Diff/1242287/1242286]], though one should avoid this.

These links may be used in the [[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit summary|edit summary]] as well as being adapted like any other internal links, e.g. {{tmpl|0=<code><nowiki>[[</nowiki>Special:Diff/1242286/1242287{{!}}$1<nowiki>]]</nowiki></code> → [[Special:Diff/1242286/1242287|$1]]|see this diff}}.

For example, the full URL <code><nowiki>[https://mediawiki.org/w/index.php?diff=1242287 1242287]</nowiki></code> could also be written as <code><nowiki>[[Special:Diff/1242287|1242287]]</nowiki></code>.

By default, the later revision of the page is displayed in full below the diff — this can be turned off via a [[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Preferences|preference]] (<code>{{int|tog-diffonly}}</code>) or by setting <code>diffonly=1</code> in the URL.
Links to diffs without the page text can be created:

* <code><nowiki>{{canonicalurl:Special:Diff/1242287|diffonly=1}}</nowiki></code> → {{canonicalurl:Special:Diff/1242287|diffonly=1}}

== Inline diffs ==
{{MW 1.35|and later}}
Since MediaWiki 1.35, an inline diff (also known as a [[w:unified diff|unified diff]]) is available.
As of 2022 this is only available with the {{ll|wikidiff2}} engine.
Inline diffs can be accessed by passing the <code>diff-type=inline</code> parameter in the URL ([https://www.mediawiki.org/w/index.php?diff=1242287&diffmode=source&diff-type=inline example]).

{{MW 1.41|and later}}
As of MediaWiki 1.41, a toggle was added to diff pages that allows users to switch between inline and two-column in the user interface. [[phab:T336716|T336716]]

<blockquote style="border:1px solid; padding:1em;">


<div class="mw-diff-table-prefix" dir="ltr" lang="en">
<div style="color: black" class="mw-diff-inline-legend"><span class="mw-diff-inline-legend-ins">Content added</span> <span class="mw-diff-inline-legend-del">Content deleted</span></div>
</div>

{| class="diff diff-contentalign-{{dir|{{pagelang2}}|right|left}} diff-editfont-monospace" border="0" style="border-spacing:4px; table-layout:fixed; width:98%"
|- style="height:1px" 
| style="width:2%" |
| style="width:48%" |
| style="width:2%" |
| style="width:48%" |
|- class="diff-title"
| colspan="2" class="diff-otitle diff-side-deleted" | <div class="mw-diff-otitle1"><strong>[[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Page history|{{int|revisionasof|22:32, 3 {{int|august}} 2003}}]] {{int|parentheses|[[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Editing|{{int|editold}}]]}}</strong></div>
<div class="mw-diff-otitle2">[[User:Tim Starling|Tim Starling]] {{int|parentheses|[[User talk:Tim Starling|{{int|talkpagelinktext}}]] {{int|pipe-separator}} [[Special:MyLanguage/Help:User contributions|{{int|contribslink}}]]}}</div>
<div class="mw-diff-otitle3"><span class="comment">{{int|parentheses|[[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit summary|Edit summaries]] in diffs are great}}</span></div>
<div class="mw-diff-otitle4">[[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Page history|{{int|previousdiff}}]]</div>
| colspan="2" class="diff-otitle diff-side-added" |<div class="mw-diff-otitle1"><strong>[[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Page history|{{int|revisionasof|00:10, 18 {{int|august}} 2003}}]] {{int|parentheses|[[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Editing|{{int|editold}}]]}} {{int|parentheses|[[Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Reverts|{{int|editundo}}]]}} {{int|parentheses|[[Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Thanks|{{int|thanks-thank}}]]}}</strong></div>
<div class="mw-diff-otitle2">[[User:Angela|Angela]] {{int|parentheses|[[User_talk:Angela|{{int|talkpagelinktext}}]] | [[Special:MyLanguage/Help:User contributions|{{int|contribslink}}]]}}    <span class="mw-rollback-link">[[Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Rollback|{{int|rollbacklinkcount|1}}]]</span></div>
<div class="mw-diff-otitle3"><abbr class="minoredit" title="{{int|recentchanges-label-minor}}">{{int|minoreditletter}}</abbr> <span class="comment">{{int|parentheses|correction, + [[MediaWiki User's Guide]]}}</span></div>
<div class="mw-diff-otitle4"> </div>
|}

<div class="mw-diff-inline-moved mw-diff-inline-moved-destination mw-diff-inline-moved-upwards">
For sysops and those with the rollback flag, a revert button is shown allowing them to revert from the new version to the old one.

This is only shown when viewing the diff between the <del style="color:black" class="mw-diff-inline-moved">current</del> version and the one <ins style="color: black">of a page and the last version by an author other than the one of the most current version.</ins>.
This example shows the top of the diff page, with the links described above.

<nowiki></table></nowiki>

<ins style="color: black">
<nowiki>[[MediaWiki User's Guide]]</nowiki>
</ins>
<div><ins style="color: black; font-family: 'Menlo','Consolas','Liberation Mono','Fira Code','Courier New',monospace;
font-size: 87.5%;" title="Content added">↲ newline</ins></div>
</div>
</blockquote>

The following changes were introduced for inline diff:

* Legends and tooltips that explain the blue and yellow highlights. ([[phab:T324759|T324759]])
* Annotation that represent when one or more lines are added or deleted. ([[phab:T330247|T330247]])

== How to report bugs? ==

Bugs should be [[Special:MyLanguage/How to report a bug|reported on Phabricator]] under the {{phabricator inline tag|MediaWiki-Page-diffs}} tag.

== User Preferences ==

The following user [[Special:MyLanguage/Help:Preferences|preferences]] are available in the <code>{{int|prefs-diffs}}</code> section of the <code>{{int|prefs-rendering}}</code> preferences tab:
<section begin="prefs" />
; {{int|tog-diffonly}}
: Toggle the display of the page text below the diff. This text is the later of the two revisions of the page.
; {{int|tog-norollbackdiff}}
: Whether to show the diff of the rolled back revision after a rollback.

Some extensions also add their own preferences related to diffs.
One such extension is {{ll|Extension:RevisionSlider}}, which can be disabled in preferences using the <code>{{int|revisionslider-preference-disable}}</code> preference in that section.
<section end="prefs" />

== See also ==
* {{ll|Help:History}} – Navigating and understanding page history.
* {{ll|Visual diffs}} – Diffs in the VisualEditor and VisualDiff extensions.
{{Help}}

Help:Diff/en - Revision history

FuzzyBot: Updating to match new version of source page