Diff, Patch, Blame, and History

Last updated: May 2025

Compare changes within GitKraken Desktop using diffs. Learn how to access them, view file history or file blame, and use external tools.

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What Is a Diff in GitKraken Desktop?

A diff displays lines added and removed from a file:

• Red indicates removed lines.
• Green indicates added lines.

GitKraken Desktop’s built-in diff viewer includes:

• Word diffing
• Syntax highlighting
• File mini-map
• Toggleable views: Hunk, Inline, Split
• Arrows to navigate between change sets

Use the Edit in working directory button to directly edit the file. Learn more in the Editing Files section.

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Where Can I Access the Diff?

You can view diffs from:

• Staging area: Click a file to open its diff
• Commit node: Select a commit and click any file

Selecting two commits shows the differences between them.

You can also select multiple commit rows using Shift + Click to show a combined diff:

Hunk View

Displays only the changed blocks of a file.

Inline View

Displays changes within the full context of the file.

Split View

Displays changes side-by-side, with the original file on the left and the updated version on the right.

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External Diff Tools

Configure an external diff tool in Preferences External Tools:

Supported tools include:

• Beyond Compare
• FileMerge
• Kaleidoscope
• KDiff
• Araxis
• P4Merge

If a supported tool does not appear in the dropdown, verify that its command line tools are installed.

To use a different diff tool, go to Preferences General and set the Diff Tool to Git Config Default. Then add the appropriate configuration in your global .gitconfig:

macOS

[diff]
    tool = meld
[difftool "meld"]
    cmd = open -a Meld --args "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"

Linux

[diff]
    tool = meld
[difftool "meld"]
    cmd = meld "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"

Windows

[diff]
    tool = meld
[difftool]
    prompt = false
[difftool "meld"]
    cmd = meld "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"

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Diff a WIP

To compare your Work in Progress (WIP) with another commit or branch:

• Use Ctrl/Cmd + click to select the WIP and another commit
• Or, right-click a commit or branch and select Compare commit against working directory

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File Blame and History

Access File History and File Blame from the file diff view. Options appear in the upper-right corner.

Alternatively, right-click a file after selecting a commit in the graph.

File Blame color-codes each line or hunk by author.

Use the toggle in the top-right to switch between Diff View (showing changes) and File View (showing the full file with blame).

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Patch

A patch (or patch file) records the differences between files. Patches allow users to share changes without pushing them to a remote repository.

Create Patch from File(s)

To create a patch:

• Right-click a commit and choose Create patch from commit
• Right-click a file and choose Create patch from file changes

You will be prompted to name the patch file.

You can also multi-select files or commits using Shift or Cmd/Ctrl + click, then right-click to create a patch.

Create Patch from Command Palette

Launch the Command Palette from the toolbar or with Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P, then search for “Create Patch.”

Apply Patch from Command Palette

To apply a patch:

1. Open the Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P)
2. Type “Apply Patch” and select the command
3. Choose your .patch file in the file explorer