NAME

       zdiff - decompress and compare two files line by line

SYNOPSIS

       zdiff [options] file1 [file2]

DESCRIPTION

       zdiff  compares  two files and, if they differ, writes to standard output the differences line by line. A
       hyphen '-' used as a  file  argument  means  standard  input.  If  any  file  given  is  compressed,  its
       decompressed  content  is  used.   zdiff  is  a front end to the program diff and has the limitation that
       messages from diff refer to temporary file names instead of those specified.

       'zdiff -v -V' prints the version of the diff program used.

       The formats supported are bzip2, gzip, lzip, xz, and zstd.

       zdiff compares file1 to file2. The standard input is used only if  file1  or  file2  refers  to  standard
       input.  If  file2  is  omitted  zdiff tries to compare file1 with the corresponding uncompressed file (if
       file1 is compressed), and then with the corresponding compressed files of the remaining formats until one
       is found.

       Exit status is 0 if inputs are identical, 1 if different, 2 if trouble.  Some options only  work  if  the
       diff program used supports them.

OPTIONS

       -h, --help
              display this help and exit

       -V, --version
              output version information and exit

       -a, --text
              treat all files as text

       -b, --ignore-space-change
              ignore changes in the amount of white space

       -B, --ignore-blank-lines
              ignore changes whose lines are all blank

       -c     use the context output format

       -C, --context=<n>
              same as -c but use <n> lines of context

       -d, --minimal
              try hard to find a smaller set of changes

       -E, --ignore-tab-expansion
              ignore changes due to tab expansion

       -i, --ignore-case
              ignore case differences

       -M, --format=<list>
              process only the formats in <list>

       -N, --no-rcfile
              don't read runtime configuration file

       -O, --force-format=[<f1>][,<f2>]
              force one or both input formats

       -p, --show-c-function
              show which C function each change is in

       -q, --brief
              output only whether files differ

       -s, --report-identical-files
              report when two files are identical

       -t, --expand-tabs
              expand tabs to spaces in output

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

       -u     use the unified output format

       -U, --unified=<n>
              same as -u but use <n> lines of context

       -v, --verbose
              verbose mode (for --version)

       -w, --ignore-all-space
              ignore all white space

       -W, --width=<n>
              output at most <n> print columns (for -y)

       -y, --side-by-side
              output in two columns

       --bz2=<command>
              set compressor and options for bzip2 format

       --gz=<command>
              set compressor and options for gzip format

       --lz=<command>
              set compressor and options for lzip format

       --xz=<command>
              set compressor and options for xz format

       --zst=<command>
              set compressor and options for zstd format

       Valid formats for options '-M' and '-O' are 'bz2', 'gz', 'lz', 'xz', 'zst', and 'un' for uncompressed.

REPORTING BUGS

       Report bugs to zutils-bug@nongnu.org
       Zutils home page: http://www.nongnu.org/zutils/zutils.html

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright   ©   2025   Antonio   Diaz   Diaz.    License   GPLv2+:   GNU   GPL   version   2   or   later
       <http://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

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

              info zutils

       should give you access to the complete manual.

zutils 1.14                                       January 2025                                          ZDIFF(1)