title	description
git_diff configuration in MegaLinter	How to use git_diff (configure, ignore files, ignore errors, help & version documentations) to analyze REPOSITORY files

git_diff

git diff is a conflict detection checker that scans files for Git conflict markers and other merge-related issues that may have been inadvertently left in the codebase after resolving merge conflicts.

Key Features:

Conflict Marker Detection: Identifies Git conflict markers (<<<<<<<, =======, >>>>>>>) that weren't properly resolved
Merge Safety: Prevents accidentally committing unresolved merge conflicts to version control
Repository Hygiene: Helps maintain clean codebases by catching leftover merge artifacts
Fast Scanning: Efficiently processes files to detect problematic patterns without performance overhead

git_diff documentation

Version in MegaLinter: 2.49.1
Visit Official Web Site{target=_blank}

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Configuration in MegaLinter

Enable git_diff by adding REPOSITORY_GIT_DIFF in ENABLE_LINTERS variable
Disable git_diff by adding REPOSITORY_GIT_DIFF in DISABLE_LINTERS variable

Variable	Description	Default value
REPOSITORY_GIT_DIFF_ARGUMENTS	User custom arguments to add in linter CLI call Ex: `-s --foo "bar"`
REPOSITORY_GIT_DIFF_COMMAND_REMOVE_ARGUMENTS	User custom arguments to remove from command line before calling the linter Ex: `-s --foo "bar"`
REPOSITORY_GIT_DIFF_CLI_LINT_MODE	Override default CLI lint mode ⚠️ As default value is project, overriding might not work - `file`: Calls the linter for each file - `list_of_files`: Call the linter with the list of files as argument - `project`: Call the linter from the root of the project	`project`
REPOSITORY_GIT_DIFF_PRE_COMMANDS	List of bash commands to run before the linter	None
REPOSITORY_GIT_DIFF_POST_COMMANDS	List of bash commands to run after the linter	None
REPOSITORY_GIT_DIFF_UNSECURED_ENV_VARIABLES	List of env variables explicitly not filtered before calling REPOSITORY_GIT_DIFF and its pre/post commands	None
REPOSITORY_GIT_DIFF_DISABLE_ERRORS	Run linter but consider errors as warnings	`false`
REPOSITORY_GIT_DIFF_DISABLE_ERRORS_IF_LESS_THAN	Maximum number of errors allowed	`0`
REPOSITORY_GIT_DIFF_CLI_EXECUTABLE	Override CLI executable	`['git']`

MegaLinter Flavors

This linter is available in the following flavors

Flavor	Description	Embedded linters
all	Default MegaLinter Flavor	127
c_cpp	Optimized for pure C/C++ projects	56
ci_light	Optimized for CI items (Dockerfile, Jenkinsfile, JSON/YAML schemas,XML	22
cupcake	MegaLinter for the most commonly used languages	88
documentation	MegaLinter for documentation projects	49
dotnet	Optimized for C, C++, C# or VB based projects	64
dotnetweb	Optimized for C, C++, C# or VB based projects with JS/TS	73
go	Optimized for GO based projects	51
java	Optimized for JAVA based projects	54
javascript	Optimized for JAVASCRIPT or TYPESCRIPT based projects	59
php	Optimized for PHP based projects	54
python	Optimized for PYTHON based projects	65
ruby	Optimized for RUBY based projects	50
rust	Optimized for RUST based projects	50
salesforce	Optimized for Salesforce based projects	53
swift	Optimized for SWIFT based projects	50
terraform	Optimized for TERRAFORM based projects	54

Behind the scenes

How are identified applicable files

If this linter is active, all files will always be linted

How the linting is performed

git_diff is called once on the whole project directory (project CLI lint mode)

filtering can not be done using MegaLinter configuration variables,it must be done using git_diff configuration or ignore file (if existing)
VALIDATE_ALL_CODEBASE: false doesn't make git_diff analyze only updated files

Example calls

git diff --check

Help content

usage: git [-v | --version] [-h | --help] [-C <path>] [-c <name>=<value>]
           [--exec-path[=<path>]] [--html-path] [--man-path] [--info-path]
           [-p | --paginate | -P | --no-pager] [--no-replace-objects] [--no-lazy-fetch]
           [--no-optional-locks] [--no-advice] [--bare] [--git-dir=<path>]
           [--work-tree=<path>] [--namespace=<name>] [--config-env=<name>=<envvar>]
           <command> [<args>]

These are common Git commands used in various situations:

start a working area (see also: git help tutorial)
   clone      Clone a repository into a new directory
   init       Create an empty Git repository or reinitialize an existing one

work on the current change (see also: git help everyday)
   add        Add file contents to the index
   mv         Move or rename a file, a directory, or a symlink
   restore    Restore working tree files
   rm         Remove files from the working tree and from the index

examine the history and state (see also: git help revisions)
   bisect     Use binary search to find the commit that introduced a bug
   diff       Show changes between commits, commit and working tree, etc
   grep       Print lines matching a pattern
   log        Show commit logs
   show       Show various types of objects
   status     Show the working tree status

grow, mark and tweak your common history
   backfill   Download missing objects in a partial clone
   branch     List, create, or delete branches
   commit     Record changes to the repository
   merge      Join two or more development histories together
   rebase     Reapply commits on top of another base tip
   reset      Reset current HEAD to the specified state
   switch     Switch branches
   tag        Create, list, delete or verify a tag object signed with GPG

collaborate (see also: git help workflows)
   fetch      Download objects and refs from another repository
   pull       Fetch from and integrate with another repository or a local branch
   push       Update remote refs along with associated objects

'git help -a' and 'git help -g' list available subcommands and some
concept guides. See 'git help <command>' or 'git help <concept>'
to read about a specific subcommand or concept.
See 'git help git' for an overview of the system.

Installation on mega-linter Docker image

None

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