delta/README.md

Δ

A syntax-highlighting pager for git.

(This project is at a very early stage, but please feel free to open issues.)

Usage

delta 0.1.0
Adds language-specific syntax highlighting to git output. Use 'delta | less -R' as core.pager in .gitconfig

USAGE:
    delta [FLAGS] [OPTIONS]

FLAGS:
        --dark       Use diff highlighting colors appropriate for a dark terminal background.
    -h, --help       Prints help information
        --light      Use diff highlighting colors appropriate for a light terminal background. This is the default.
    -V, --version    Prints version information

OPTIONS:
        --minus-color <minus_color>    The background color (RGB hex) to use for removed lines. The default is "#ffd0d0"
                                       if you are using --light, and "#3f0001" if you are using --dark.
        --plus-color <plus_color>      The background color (RGB hex) to use for added lines. The default is "#d0ffd0"
                                       if you are using --light, and "#013B01" if you are using --dark.
        --theme <theme>                The syntax highlighting theme to use. Options are Light: ("InspiredGitHub",
                                       "Solarized (light)", "base16-ocean.light"), Dark: ("Solarized, (dark)", "base16-
                                       eighties.dark", "base16-mocha.dark", "base16-ocean.dark").
    -w, --width <width>                The width (in characters) of the diff highlighting. By default, the highlighting
                                       extends to the last character on each line

Installation

1. Install the Rust development environment:
   See https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install.

2. Clone this repo
   

3. Build the executable:
   

   cd delta
   cargo build
   

   This creates an executable inside the repo at target/debug/delta. Make sure this executable is found on your shell $PATH.

   For example, if ~/bin is in your $PATH, then you could use a symlink:

   cd ~/bin
   ln -s /path/to/delta/target/debug/delta delta
   

   Alternatively, you can ignore $PATH and use /path/to/delta/target/debug/delta | less -R in the next step.

4. Configure git to use delta:
   Edit your ~/.gitconfig:

   [core]
       pager = delta | less -R
   

   Alternatively, run this command:

   git config --global core.pager 'delta | less -R'
   

All git commands that display diff output should now display syntax-highlighted output. For example:

• git diff
• git show
• git log -p
• git stash show -p

24 bit color

delta works best if your terminal application supports 24 bit colors. See https://gist.github.com/XVilka/8346728. For example, on macos, iTerm2 works but Terminal.app does not.

If you're using tmux, it's worth checking that 24 bit color is working correctly. For example, run a color test script like this one, or the others listed at https://gist.github.com/XVilka/8346728. If you do not see smooth color gradients, see the discussion at tmux#696. The short version is you need something like this in your ~/.tmux.conf:

set -ga terminal-overrides ",xterm-256color:Tc"

and you may then need to quit tmux completely for it to take effect.

Credit

https://github.com/trishume/syntect
https://github.com/sharkdp/bat