Add `--include` prefix filter flag by rashpile · Pull Request #103 · umputun/revdiff

rashpile · 2026-04-13T21:59:30Z

Add --include (-I) flag for prefix-based file inclusion, complementing the existing --exclude (-X). Both flags compose: include narrows the file set first, then exclude removes from it.

revdiff --include src                          # only src/ files
revdiff --include src --exclude src/vendor     # src/ minus src/vendor/
revdiff --all-files --include app              # all tracked files under app/

Changes

Core filter (app/diff/)

Extract shared matchesPrefix and normalizePrefixes helpers into prefix.go, refactor ExcludeFilter to use them
Add IncludeFilter in include.go — same decorator pattern, inverted logic (keep matching files)

CLI wiring (app/main.go)

--include / -I flag with config file (ini-name), env var (REVDIFF_INCLUDE), and comma-delimited support
Mutual exclusivity: --include + --only and --stdin + --include are errors
Composition order in all three renderer factories: inner -> IncludeFilter -> ExcludeFilter

Tests (app/diff/include_test.go, app/main_test.go)

Include filter unit tests: prefix matching, normalization, ChangedFiles filtering, FileDiff passthrough, error propagation
CLI parsing tests: long flag, short flag, env var, config file
Validation tests: stdin + include, only + include
Renderer factory tests: git/hg with include, all-files with include, include + exclude functional composition

Docs

README, site/docs.html, plugin references (claude, codex, pi)

Extract matchesPrefix() and normalizePrefixes() from ExcludeFilter into shared prefix.go helpers. Create IncludeFilter that keeps only files matching given prefixes, mirroring ExcludeFilter's decorator pattern.

Add include []string parameter to makeGitRenderer, makeHgRenderer, and makeNoVCSRenderer. IncludeFilter wraps before ExcludeFilter so include narrows first, then exclude refines. Update setupVCSRenderer to pass opts.Include. Add tests for include wrapping, all-files+include, and functional include+exclude composition.

- Add diff.IncludeFilter to Renderer implementors list in CLAUDE.md - Update gotcha bullet with --include filtering and --stdin mutual exclusivity - Add --include example to Pi plugin SKILL.md

Copilot

Pull request overview

Adds a new --include (-I) prefix filter to complement existing --exclude (-X), wiring it through CLI parsing/config/env support and applying it as a renderer decorator (include first, then exclude).

Changes:

Introduces shared prefix helper utilities (normalizePrefixes, matchesPrefix) and refactors ExcludeFilter to use them.
Adds IncludeFilter decorator and wires --include through CLI parsing, validation, and renderer factories (git/hg/no-vcs).
Expands unit tests and updates user-facing docs/references to describe --include behavior and interactions.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 16 out of 16 changed files in this pull request and generated 1 comment.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
site/index.html	Updates marketing copy to mention `--include` alongside `--exclude`.
site/docs.html	Adds examples/options text for `--include` and updates mutual exclusivity notes.
plugins/pi/skills/revdiff/SKILL.md	Adds an `--include` example to pi skill docs.
plugins/codex/skills/revdiff/references/usage.md	Documents `--include` usage/examples and composition with `--exclude`.
plugins/codex/skills/revdiff/references/config.md	Documents `--include` config/env support.
app/main_test.go	Adds CLI parsing/validation tests and renderer composition tests for include+exclude.
app/main.go	Adds `Include` option/flag, validates conflicts, and wraps renderers with `IncludeFilter` before `ExcludeFilter`.
app/diff/prefix.go	New shared prefix normalization/matching helpers.
app/diff/include_test.go	New unit tests for `IncludeFilter` and shared prefix helpers.
app/diff/include.go	New `IncludeFilter` renderer decorator implementation.
app/diff/exclude_test.go	Refactors tests to use shared prefix helpers.
app/diff/exclude.go	Refactors `ExcludeFilter` to use shared prefix helpers and removes duplicated logic.
README.md	Documents `--include` option, examples, and interactions with other modes.
CLAUDE.md	Updates project documentation to mention `IncludeFilter` and new flag behavior.
.claude-plugin/skills/revdiff/references/usage.md	Mirrors `--include` usage docs in claude plugin references.
.claude-plugin/skills/revdiff/references/config.md	Mirrors `--include` config/env docs in claude plugin references.

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Copilot · 2026-04-13T22:08:04Z

app/diff/include.go

+func (f *IncludeFilter) ChangedFiles(ref string, staged bool) ([]FileEntry, error) {
+	entries, err := f.inner.ChangedFiles(ref, staged)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("include filter, changed files: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	filtered := make([]FileEntry, 0, len(entries))
+	for _, e := range entries {
+		if matchesPrefix(e.Path, f.prefixes) {
+			filtered = append(filtered, e)
+		}
+	}
+	return filtered, nil


If all provided include prefixes normalize to empty (e.g., env REVDIFF_INCLUDE=, or values containing only whitespace), f.prefixes becomes empty and matchesPrefix will always return false, causing ChangedFiles to return an empty list (effectively hiding all files). Consider treating an empty normalized prefix list as a no-op (return entries unchanged) or returning a clear validation error when no non-empty prefixes remain. Adding a unit test for this case would prevent regressions.

umputun

lgtm overall, clean implementation that mirrors ExcludeFilter well. tests pass, linter clean, no races.

couple things:

prefix.go - I'd prefer moving matchesPrefix and normalizePrefixes into diff.go instead of a separate file. two small functions shared by both filters don't justify a new file. tests for them should move to diff_test.go accordingly
duplicate tests - TestMatchesPrefix and TestNormalizePrefixes exist in both include_test.go and exclude_test.go. move them to diff_test.go (with the functions) and drop both duplicates
minor: makeNoVCSRenderer accepts include param but it's unreachable - no-VCS mode requires --only, and --include + --only is rejected by parseArgs. not a blocker, --exclude has the same pattern, but worth knowing

the --include / --only mutual exclusivity makes sense, they have different semantics (prefix filter vs exact/suffix file selection)

Move matchesPrefix and normalizePrefixes to the bottom of diff.go and their tests to diff_test.go. Drop duplicate tests from include_test.go and exclude_test.go. Delete prefix.go.

No-VCS mode requires --only, which is mutually exclusive with --include. --exclude on FileReader (which only returns --only files) is a no-op. Remove both filter params and simplify to direct FileReader return.

rashpile · 2026-04-13T22:28:29Z

All issues addressed:

Moved matchesPrefix and normalizePrefixes from prefix.go into diff.go, deleted prefix.go
Moved shared tests (TestMatchesPrefix, TestNormalizePrefixes) into diff_test.go, dropped duplicates from include_test.go and exclude_test.go
Removed unreachable include/exclude params from makeNoVCSRenderer — no-VCS mode requires --only, which is mutually exclusive with --include, and --exclude on FileReader is a no-op

umputun

lgtm, all review points addressed. thx for the cleanup on makeNoVCSRenderer - removing both unreachable params is cleaner than what I suggested.

one non-blocking note from Copilot: if all include prefixes normalize to empty (e.g. REVDIFF_INCLUDE=,), matchesPrefix returns false for everything and all files silently disappear. unlikely edge case, but --exclude is harmless in the same scenario (nothing excluded = no-op) while --include is destructive (nothing included = empty list). something to keep in mind for later, not a blocker.

When all --include prefixes normalize to empty (e.g. REVDIFF_INCLUDE=,), treat as no-op instead of silently dropping all files. Also remove unreachable include/exclude params from makeNoVCSRenderer since no-VCS mode requires --only which is mutually exclusive with --include.

rashpile · 2026-04-13T22:37:13Z

fix: handle empty normalized include prefixes as no-op

rashpile added 6 commits April 14, 2026 00:50

feat: add IncludeFilter with shared prefix helpers

a00cb98

Extract matchesPrefix() and normalizePrefixes() from ExcludeFilter into shared prefix.go helpers. Create IncludeFilter that keeps only files matching given prefixes, mirroring ExcludeFilter's decorator pattern.

feat: add --include CLI flag with validation and tests

113d069

feat: add --include flag documentation across all doc targets

722a6bb

fix: address code review findings

3453b1c

- Add diff.IncludeFilter to Renderer implementors list in CLAUDE.md - Update gotcha bullet with --include filtering and --stdin mutual exclusivity - Add --include example to Pi plugin SKILL.md

chore: remove implementation plan file

0479263

rashpile requested a review from umputun as a code owner April 13, 2026 21:59

umputun requested a review from Copilot April 13, 2026 22:04

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of umputun April 13, 2026 22:05 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Apr 13, 2026

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umputun reviewed Apr 13, 2026

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rashpile added 2 commits April 14, 2026 01:18

refactor: move shared prefix helpers from prefix.go into diff.go

f1bfca6

Move matchesPrefix and normalizePrefixes to the bottom of diff.go and their tests to diff_test.go. Drop duplicate tests from include_test.go and exclude_test.go. Delete prefix.go.

refactor: remove unreachable include/exclude from makeNoVCSRenderer

babf8b5

No-VCS mode requires --only, which is mutually exclusive with --include. --exclude on FileReader (which only returns --only files) is a no-op. Remove both filter params and simplify to direct FileReader return.

umputun approved these changes Apr 13, 2026

View reviewed changes

umputun merged commit 1ec113c into umputun:master Apr 13, 2026
2 checks passed

rashpile deleted the include-filter branch April 13, 2026 22:46

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Add `--include` prefix filter flag#103

Add `--include` prefix filter flag#103
umputun merged 9 commits intoumputun:masterfrom
rashpile:include-filter

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