0.71.0

Wilfred/difftastic0.71.0Sep 18, 2026by github-actions[bot]

Upgrading?

AI Summary

This release focuses on performance improvements and memory usage optimization by switching the linear diff algorithm to Histogram, while also improving parsing for several languages and adding a CLI shortcut flag.

Key Highlights

  • Switched from Wu-Manber to Histogram algorithm for linear diffs to improve memory usage in worst-case scenarios.
  • Improved performance for line-based diffs and pathological cases, such as extremely long lines.
  • Enhanced parsing support for C++, Dockerfile, Haskell, JavaScript, Makefile, Perl, Ruby, Rust, Scala, and TypeScript.
  • Added short flag `-c` for the `--context` command-line option.
  • Removed Hare support as the upstream parser is no longer maintained.

Breaking Changes

  • Removed Hare support.

New Features

  • Added `-c` short flag for `--context`.

Full Release Notes

Difftastic is a structural diff tool that understands syntax. See [the manual](https://difftastic.wilfred.me.uk/introduction.html) to get started, and [the changelog](https://github.com/Wilfred/difftastic/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md) for historical changes.

### Diffing

Improved performance, particularly for line-based diffs or pathological cases (e.g. an extremely long line).

Linear diffs (used in line-based diffs and word highlighting) have changed from the Wu-Manber algorithm to the Histogram algorithm. This is a modest runtime improvement and a large improvement for memory usage in worst case scenarios.

Some diff results have slightly changed, although the diff quality should be similar. (Please file bugs if not.)

### Parsing

Improved C++, Dockerfile, Haskell, JavaScript, Makefile, Perl, Ruby, Rust, Scala and TypeScript.

Improved heuristics and the default globs used for language detection.

Removed Hare support (upstream parser is no longer maintained).

### Command Line Interface

`--context` can now be set with the short flag `-c`.

### Release

Prebuilt binaries attached to releases now include the version in the filename. 

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