WDIFF(1) wdiff 1.2.2 WDIFF(1)
User Commands User Commands
April 2014
NAME
wdiff - display word differences between text files
SYNOPSIS
wdiff [,OPTION/]... ,FILE1 FILE2/
wdiff ,-d /[,OPTION/]... [,FILE/]
DESCRIPTION
wdiff - Compares words in two files and report differences.
Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options
too.
-C, --copyright
display copyright then exit
-1, --no-deleted
inhibit output of deleted words
-2, --no-inserted
inhibit output of inserted words
-3, --no-common
inhibit output of common words
-a, --auto-pager
automatically calls a pager
-d, --diff-input
use single unified diff as input
-h, --help
display this help then exit
-i, --ignore-case
fold character case while comparing
-l, --less-mode
variation of printer mode for "less"
-n, --avoid-wraps
do not extend fields through newlines
-p, --printer
overstrike as for printers
-s, --statistics
say how many words deleted, inserted etc.
- 1 - Formatted: December 22, 2025
WDIFF(1) wdiff 1.2.2 WDIFF(1)
User Commands User Commands
April 2014
-t, --terminal
use termcap as for terminal displays
-v, --version
display program version then exit
-w, --start-delete=,STRING/
string to mark beginning of delete region
-x, --end-delete=,STRING/
string to mark end of delete region
-y, --start-insert=,STRING/
string to mark beginning of insert region
-z, --end-insert=,STRING/
string to mark end of insert region
COMPATIBILITY
Some options that used to provide some unique functionality are no
longer recommended, but still recognized for the sake of backwards
compatibility.
-K, --no-init-term
Now synonymous to --terminal, which never initializes the
terminal.
AUTHOR
Written by Franc,ois Pinard <pinard@iro.umontreal.ca>.
REPORTING BUGS
Report bugs to <wdiff-bugs@gnu.org>.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright c 1992, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Free
Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There
is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
SEE ALSO
The full documentation for wdiff is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
If the info and wdiff programs are properly installed at your site,
the command
info wdiff
should give you access to the complete manual.
- 2 - Formatted: December 22, 2025
