Git Diff - Full File View

[noahschumacher]

One thing I love about viewing diffs in VSCode compared to Github is that I can view the complete uncollapsed file. This is really useful when trying to get broader context on the changes. Clicking through multiple expand up and downs is a lot of friction.

[FloppyDisco]

yes, i feel like i'm missing something.
is there no way to just open a diff of a single file!?!?

i don't want to open a multibuffer with all the changes in my entire project.
and i don't want to diff two arbitrary files in the project using 'compare selected'
i just want to look at a diff of the entire file...

feels a bit like this is where they should have started?? lol.

[FloppyDisco]

@noahschumacher

I have worked out a solution that will allow us to diff a full file relatively easily.
zed should certainly add diffing a full file to the application but this works for now.
it uses a custom task which you can assign to a keybinding.

essentially.
zed the command line tool accepts a --diff option and can open a diff view of any two arbitrary files; however it does not seem to have any built in way of selecting a file with a different git scheme.
so we need to create a temporary file using git show

you will need to have the zed cli installed in your path which you can do by opening the command palette and running install cli binary

ideally we would be able to run a task that just diffs the currently open file.
however in issue #40118 the env variables that are set for a task are not currently working correctly.
and this made it very frustrating because the task never opens the file you want.

so i found it the least painful to just select the file that i want to diff using fzf so you will need to have that installed in your path as well.

open the command palette and run zed: open tasks
and add this to your tasks.json

  {
    "label": "git - diff file",
    "command": "selected_file=$(git status --porcelain | fzf --accept-nth=2); tmp_dir=/tmp/$(openssl rand -hex 8); mkdir -p $tmp_dir; tmp_file=$tmp_dir/diff; git show HEAD:$selected_file > $tmp_file; zed --diff $tmp_file $selected_file; rm $tmp_file;",
    "use_new_terminal": true,
    "reveal_target": "center",
    "hide": "always"
  }

this should open an editor where you can select from a list of changes

and when you select one it should open up a new editor with the selected file diff

you can set this to be on a keybinding by putting this in your keybindings.json

{
  "context": "workspace",
  "bindings": {
      "cmd-alt-g": ["task::Spawn", { "task_name": "git - diff file" }],
   }
}

like i said.
ideally, this should be added as an action for the git panel. but this does everything i need it to for now.

cheers

[FloppyDisco]

@smitbarmase
showed me why i was getting weird behavior with the tasks env variables.

here is a second solution that will just open the file in the current Editor in a full file diff.

put this in your tasks.json.

  {
    "label": "diff",
    "command": "git show HEAD:$ZED_RELATIVE_FILE > /tmp/$ZED_FILENAME; zed --diff /tmp/$ZED_FILENAME $ZED_RELATIVE_FILE; rm /tmp/$ZED_FILENAME;",
    "reveal": "never",
    "hide": "always"
  },

and this in your keybindings.json

  {
    "context": "Editor",
    "bindings": {
        "cmd-alt-g": ["task::Spawn", { "task_name": "diff"}],
     }
  }

i also still like having the fzf picker because it does not require having the file open.
but this is also very handy to just be able to diff the current file.

[FloppyDisco]

@noahschumacher

ok. so after all that. I was looking through the docs and I actually discovered that Zed already has a action to view the git changes in a full file without any work arounds.
the docs are here

I don't think the documentation around this feature is written very well, and that is probably why there are so many repeated discussions requesting this feature.

go to the file that you would like to review and run editor: expand all diff hunks

this will show the git changes for the entire file.

you can navigate between changes with editor: go to hunk

and the stage, unstage,stage and next, etc. actions all work as well.

[infused-kim]

Thank you so much for adding this comment. This makes Zed usage with AI infinitely better. If only we could filter by staged/unstaged.

[hilja]

Multbuffer toggle in the Git diff would be sweet. Sometimes multibufer is handy, and other times distracting. Turning it off would simply show the full file when clicked.

Button in the diff toolbar etc.

[FloppyDisco]

The project diff shows a buffer for each change in all files. If you toggled the multi buffer off would you expand ALL the multi buffers to show the entirety of each file?

Or would you just expand the file that you are currently in a multibuffer for? (This would basically just be opening the file with the diffs expanded, which there is not a button for inside the project differ but you can "go to file" and then "expand all diffs" both from keybindings.

[hilja]

If you toggled the multi buffer off would you expand ALL the multi buffers to show the entirety of each file?

Show the full file. VSCode does it pretty well (but no multibuffer):

It's handy when reviewing large diffs like lock files or big JSON objects, something you're not expected to edit. In the scrollbar on the right you can see at a glance where there have been changes. In this case, at the top, middle, and bottom. You get the context of the full file.

Right now, in the diff view, I don't have a good overview where in the file the changes have happened:

"go to file" and then "expand all diffs" both from keybindings.

Oh yeah, this is super handy (Cmd-"), gives you the overview. If it would be possible to toggle split-view diff outside the git diff view, then that would basically be same as the VSCode differ.

Or what if you could stage a file from anywhere?

Oh wow, you can:

1. Cmd-click the file name and it splits it to right
2. Then you can "Zoom In" (Shift-esc) to see the whole file
3. And zoom out to be returned back to the diff

Zed is so capable actually, the workflow is just different :)

[FloppyDisco]

Ok. So in what the feature I think you are actually looking for here is side-by-side full file diff. That's really the only feature missing here.

One of the features that I miss from VSCode is the preview of the changes when scrolling through the list of changes. I don't like that you have to press enter to open the project diff.

So I think if you could ( with a user-setting) turn on auto preview files when you open the GitPanel

And with a separate setting select whether you see the changes as a multibuffer or as an individual file.

then allow side by side for full file.

I feel like that would be the full kit towards recreating the VScode diff experience.

[jolexxa]

The multi-buffer thing is a neat trick and probably great that it works that way under the hood, but it's almost never what I want as an end user. I would really like to see the entirety of the file and its changes side by side when I click a file in the git changes pane.

[FloppyDisco]

Cmd-click should do this

[jolexxa]

@FloppyDisco Thanks for the tip — it appears to open the file, but not a diff. I was looking for the full side-by-side file diff.

[FloppyDisco]

Ah. The secondary click from the GitPanel should open the diffed file with the changes stacked. the side-view is only available in the Project Diff multibuffer, unfortunately. That would be a nice upgrade, being able to view a single file in side-by-side view as well!

[pedroota]

@FloppyDisco Is there a way to make this the pattern? Very similar to the way VSCode/Cursor works. Like, always opening with a side-by-side full diff view (one view per file) like @jolexxa was explaining

[chirivelli]

you can change the behaviour in settings

[scratchmex]

this is now more important than ever, for us to review one single file of changes at a time. now with AI that does a lot of changes...!

is there no way to just open a diff of a single file!?!?

literally my every day thought

[infused-kim]

Turns out it's actually possible and works very well. Check this comment:
#33773 (comment)

And this documentation:
https://zed.dev/docs/git#diff-hunk-keyboard-shortcuts:~:text=Diff%20Hunk%20Keyboard%20Shortcuts

• Use the git panel to open the uncommitted changes tab
• Click on the file name to open the file
• Press cmd+" to show all edits in the file

[alex1craig]

+1 on wanting to see this be a feature. Tried Zed when 1.0.0 released and really liked it, except switching back to Cursor / VS Code to view diffs. I had to go back to Cursor as primary editor, but will switch to Zed when this is a feature.

[nitedani]

Same, I too tried multiple times to switch from VS Code to Zed. I'll try again in the future.

[julianianni]

same here

[alexcraviotto]

I'm trying to make zed my main tool for coding but it's true that sometimes I have to comeback to vscode when I have to do something related with git.

[ozacod]

#56152 is supposed to resolve this issue. I tried it and was very satisfied with the solution.

[franciskafyi]

We also want this feature! Made an issue here and linked the PR: #58005. We're aware of it and will get to it as soon as we're able 🙏

[chirivelli]

are you from zed, and any ETA?

[franciskafyi]

I'm from Zed, no ETA yet.

[julianianni]

❤️

[chirivelli]

The Solo DIff View is merged!

[scratchmex]

It should be the default when clicking IMO because we have a dedicated button to "open the diff" in the fit label which opens the multi buffer

Thanks for the work tho! I can now use zed more. I was opening vscode to see single file diffs.

We still need the ability to see the diff of staged only changes and it will be complete for me, at least the parity

[HemalR]

I assume that the merged does not mean that it is in a release yet? I'm on 1.4.4 and don't see this yet

[chirivelli]

It should be out in 1.6 or 1.7

[scratchmex]

it missed the 1.5 window?

[julianianni]

Thanks for this! I was waiting for it.. amazing ❤️

[JosephTLyons]

Single-file Git diffs from the Git Panel have shipped in Zed Stable v1.6.3!
Currently, a normal click on an entry opens the multi buffer view, and a {cmd,ctrl}-click opens the single file diff view.

Thanks to @chirivelli for the implementation!

[jimpala]

Could this be added as a command for the current file in the editor :-)

[HemalR]

Could this be added as a command for the current file in the editor :-)

That would actually be super useful too!

[chirivelli]

working on it!

[xseman]

Is there any setting/config line to add to swap the default (normal click opens single file vew and Cmd+ click to open buffer view?

Hey, did you find out if we can change this shortcut, or are we stuck with CTRL/CMD+Click?

[HemalR]

Is there any setting/config line to add to swap the default (normal click opens single file vew and Cmd+ click to open buffer view?

Hey, did you find out if we can change this shortcut, or are we stuck with CTRL/CMD+Click?

Nothing yet but judging by the comments on this thread they're actively monitoring it so I'm confident it will come about in due course..

[olegedly]

Please make it work like VSCode. Show one COMPLETE file with diffs. Anything else is just stupid and infuriating.

[chirivelli]

what should be the default?

1. Full File
2. Changes Only

[pedroota]

full file!

[HemalR]

Full file!

[chirivelli]

will be done, check #60989 for updates

[noahschumacher]

Seems like it was merged! Almost there!!?

[doanhthong]

full file

[noahschumacher]

After a year its here and landed!! Thanks to all who go it across the finish line. If I was to be greedy I would ask for an option to make the default behavior when clicking on a file in the diff tree to open the full single file diff and then clicking the View Diff +X - Y bring up the complete compact diff.

[chirivelli]

you can change the primary click action in settings

[atiq-cs]

I almost gave up / left zededitor for VSCode due to lack of this setting.

Initial look up on google / perplexity summarized that it's not possible with zed editor.

So, glad to find it, finally

  "git": {
    "file_diff": {
      "show_full_file": true
    }
  },

no, wait! This is something else.

zed still requires 'Ctrl + Click' to open single file view? :( How to set it as default so I can just click and not 'Ctrl + Click'?

[olegedly]

Is there a way to invert the actions of click and ctrl + click? I want to see only 1 file's diff on a simple click without ctrl

[HemalR]

Yes. Update to the latest version and it's in the settings.

[HemalR]

This is great! The next in line of improvements for this are keyboard shortcuts/buttons/palette commands to:

1. Go to next/previous file (currently you have to use the mouse)
2. Stage a file with the keyboard - apparently opt + shift + Y should be doing it but it doesn’t actually work.

[atiq-cs]

Finally, found it. I was looking for it under "git diff" but it was under "Git Panel" in settings.

And, this is the exact settings key:

"git_panel": {
  "entry_primary_click_action": "file_diff",
}

[olegedly]

Thanks man! Super helpful. Finally we got sane behavior out of this editor 😅
Was such an ordeal. Like crossing a dessert with stones in our shoes 😅

[tdimitrov]

Is there a way to achieve the same full file diff view from git: diff branch command?

[mrzubairk]

@tdimitrov Yeah, I want the same one for git diff too when clicking a commit in history

[gaojunran]

#62068 is one of the solution. Upvote if you want this feature.