Git-ArchiveBranchDiffs

A tool for git repositories that creates a ZIP archive containing JUST the files representing the diff/delta between two related branches. This is similar to what GitHub provides in the changes view for pull request/PR reviews. Notably this tool supports comparing ANY TWO related branches and produces a self-contained archive which can be used offline and which DOES NOT require a PR to be created at all.

NOTE you must have git on your PATH when using this tool

Usage

If PowerShell Core is already installed or can be installed:

Execute the .ps1 file via pwsh and respond to the prompts for input parameters:

pwsh ./Git-ArchiveBranchDiffs.ps1

Execute the .ps1 file from an existing PowerShell and supply one or more of the parameters, respond to prompts for the remainder:

PS> ./Git-ArchiveBranchDiffs.ps1 -repositoryPath /c/myRepo -leftBranch master -rightBranch f/myBranch -outputDirectory /tmp

If Bash is installed and PowerShell Core is not installed:

Execute the .sh file via bash, PowerShell will be downloaded and will execute the .ps1 file, then respond to the prompts for input parameters:

sudo chmod +x ./Git-ArchiveBranchDiffs.sh
sudo bash ./Git-ArchiveBranchDiffs.sh

Input Parameters

Parameter Name	Description
repositoryPath	Specifies directory path to the root of a git repository
leftBranch	Specifies the name of the branch to be the left-side of a diff comparison
rightBranch	Specifies the name of the branch to be the right-side of a diff comparison
outputDirectory	Specifies the directory path where the ZIP file will be created
archiveFileName	[Optional] Specifies the name of the ZIP file that will be created

Features

• No pull request/PR needs to exist to review the changes between two branches the same way you would normally review a pull request on GitHub

• Files participating in the branch diff are pulled from either remote blobs or from the relevant local-only change(s) as appropriate

• Placeholder Files are included in the output to ensure both left/right sides of the diff have representative file for each 'change'. Placeholders are included in the following change scenarios:

  Git Change	Left Branch File Example	Right Branch File Example
  Added	/leftBranch/NewFile.cs-added (zero bytes)	/rightBranch/NewFile.cs (new file, new content)
  Copied	/leftBranch/OriginalFile.cs (original content)	/rightBranch/OriginalFileCopied.cs (original content copied)
  Deleted	/leftBranch/OriginalFile.cs (original content)	/rightBranch/OriginalFile.cs-deleted (zero bytes)
  Modified	/leftBranch/ModifiedFile.cs (original content)	/rightBranch/ModifiedFile.cs (modified content)
  Renamed	/leftBranch/RenameThisFile.cs-RXX (original content)	/rightBranch/RenamedFile.cs (original file content, new file name)

  • For Rename the XX represents the Nth occurrence of a rename within the changeset / commit
    • • e.g. R00 is the first rename, R01 is the second, and so on
  • Manifest - bookkeeping files and information generated by this tool are placed at the root of the archive (outside the directories representing each branch)

• The output of this tool is suitable for comparison using a diff-tool (that supports directory diff) of your choice

  • This provides the ability to leverage additional features from the chosen tool, for example:
    • better syntax highlighting
    • detection of and suppression of 'unimportant' differences
    • treat suffixed placeholder files as directly comparable to their counterpart in the opposite branch
  • This also allows diff review to be done offline / disconnected

Directory Diff Tool Recommendations

• Beyond Compare (cross-platform)
• Meld (cross-platform)