commands.
+EXAMPLES
+--------
+
+Various ways to check your working tree::
++
+------------
+$ git diff <1>
+$ git diff --cached <2>
+$ git diff HEAD <3>
+
+<1> changes in the working tree since your last git-update-index.
+<2> changes between the index and your last commit; what you
+would be committing if you run "git commit" without "-a" option.
+<3> changes in the working tree since your last commit; what you
+would be committing if you run "git commit -a"
+------------
+
+Comparing with arbitrary commits::
++
+------------
+$ git diff test <1>
+$ git diff HEAD -- ./test <2>
+$ git diff HEAD^ HEAD <3>
+
+<1> instead of using the tip of the current branch, compare with the
+tip of "test" branch.
+<2> instead of comparing with the tip of "test" branch, compare with
+the tip of the curren branch, but limit the comparison to the
+file "test".
+<3> compare the version before the last commit and the last commit.
+------------
+
+
+Limiting the diff output::
++
+------------
+$ git diff --diff-filter=MRC <1>
+$ git diff --name-status -r <2>
+$ git diff arch/i386 include/asm-i386 <3>
+
+<1> show only modification, rename and copy, but not addition
+nor deletion.
+<2> show only names and the nature of change, but not actual
+diff output. --name-status disables usual patch generation
+which in turn also disables recursive behaviour, so without -r
+you would only see the directory name if there is a change in a
+file in a subdirectory.
+<3> limit diff output to named subtrees.
+------------
+
+Munging the diff output::
++
+------------
+$ git diff --find-copies-harder -B -C <1>
+$ git diff -R <2>
+
+<1> spend extra cycles to find renames, copies and complete
+rewrites (very expensive).
+<2> output diff in reverse.
+------------
+
+
Author
------
Written by Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>
pulled from origin the last time in a patch form for
e-mail submission.
+git-format-patch -M -B origin::
+ The same as the previous one, except detect and handle
+ renames and complete rewrites intelligently to produce
+ renaming patch. A renaming patch reduces the amount of
+ text output, and generally makes it easier to review
+ it. Note that the "patch" program does not understand
+ renaming patch well, so use it only when you know the
+ recipient uses git to apply your patch.
+
See Also
--------