Git - How to compare files in two different branches

This tutorial explains you how to compare files in two different branches in Git.

Git – Compare files in two different branches

Let’s say you have the following Skill POJO checked in to your “phase2-dev” branch already.

package com.sneppets.model;

public class Skill {
	
	private String name;
	
	public Skill() {
		
	}
	
	public Skill(String name) {
		this.name = name;
	}
	
	public Skill(Long id, String name) {
		super(id);
		this.name = name;
	}

	public String getName() {
		return name;
	}

	public void setName(String name) {
		this.name = name;
	}

}

And you are working with local feature branch called “myfeature” branch and had modified the Skill.java POJO like below

package com.sneppets.model;

public class Skill {
	
	private String name;
	
	public Skill() {
		
	}
	
	public Skill(String name) {
		this.name = name;
	}
	
	public Skill(Long id, String name) {
		super(id);
		this.name = name;
	}

	public String getName() {
		return name;
	}

	public void setName(String name) {
		this.name = name;
	}

        @Override
	public boolean equals(Object obj)
	{
		if(obj == this)
			return true;
		
		if(!(obj instanceof Skill))
		{
			return false;
		}
		
		Skill skill = (Skill)obj;
		
		return skill.id.equals(id);
		
	}

	@Override
	public int hashCode() {	
		return this.id.hashCode();  
	}

}

Now to compare Skill.java file between two branches (phase2-dev & myfeature branches) try the following command

$ git diff phase2-dev — src/main/java/com/sneppets/model/Skill.java

Note, Get to the current branch name (in this case myfeature branch) where you had modified the code.

sneppets@MyComputer MINGW64 /e/sneppets/code (myfeature)

$ git diff phase2-dev -- src/main/java/com/sneppets/model/Skill.java

--- a/code/services/MyService/src/main/java/com/sneppets/model/Skill.java
+++ b/code/services/MyService/src/main/java/com/sneppets/model/Skill.java
@@ -38,6 +38,28 @@ public class Skill {
        public void setName(String name) {
                this.name = name;
        }
+
+       @Override
+       public boolean equals(Object obj)
+       {
+               if(obj == this)
+                       return true;
+
+               if(!(obj instanceof Skill))
+               {
+                       return false;
+               }
+
+               Skill skill = (Skill)obj;
+
+               return skill.id.equals(id);
+
+       }
+
+       @Override
+       public int hashCode() {
+               return this.id.hashCode();
+       }


 }

Similarly if you wanted to compare same file between phase2-dev and master branch then try the following

$ git diff phase2-dev master — src/main/java/com/sneppets/model/Skill.java

That’s All.

Further Reading

Git – How to compare files in two different branches

Git – Compare files in two different branches

References