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> The diff algorithms are all fast but dumb. Patch based VCS systems (Darcs, Pijul) are apparently better here. Isnt one of git's core features that it can wor
by zer00eyz 3y ago
> The diff algorithms are all fast but dumb. Patch based VCS systems (Darcs, Pijul) are apparently better here.
Isnt one of git's core features that it can work as a patch based system?
It's my understanding (and please correct me if I'm wrong) that Linux patches can come in via mailing list, as a diff. That would make the person committing different from the owner of the change (also reflected in git's design)? Do Darcs and Pijul just have a string of patches on top of the original source file?
- IshKebab 3y agoGot can apply patches, yes. But I mean when it has two commits (which are snapshots, not patches) and it uses a diff algorithm to synthesise a patch between them. It uses an algorithm which is great from a computer science point of view (low algorithmic complexity, minimal length, etc.) but pretty bad from a semantic point of view (splitting up blocks, etc.). There are a couple of attempts to improve this (DiffSitter, Difftastic) but they don't integrate with GUIs yet.