GNU bug report logs - #76454
3.11 critical bug: diff -Naur a b does not show a unified diff when one of the file is empty

Previous Next

To add a comment to this bug, you must first unarchive it, by sending
a message to control AT debbugs.gnu.org, with unarchive 76454 in the body.
You can then email your comments to 76454 AT debbugs.gnu.org in the normal way.

Toggle the display of automated, internal messages from the tracker.

Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Kate Deplaix <kit-ty-kate <at> outlook.com>
To: "bug-diffutils <at> gnu.org" <bug-diffutils <at> gnu.org>
Subject: 3.11 critical bug: diff -Naur a b does not show a unified diff when
 one of the file is empty
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:39:35 +0000

Hi,

While using diffutils 3.11 instead of 3.10, i've noticed a critical bug in diff reproducible with the following setup:

$ cd /tmp
$ mkdir a b
$ touch a/test
$ echo content > b/test

With diffutils 3.10, "diff -Naur a b" returns:

diff -Naur a/test b/test
--- a/test   2025-02-20 14:50:07.870258052 +0000
+++ b/test   2025-02-20 14:50:18.957287641 +0000
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+content

but with diffutils 3.11, the same command returns:

File a/test is a regular empty file while file b/test is a regular file

Given no mention of this change appear in the changelog, i'm guessing this is an unintended change. In my opinion this bug is critical and the 3.11 release should be marked as broken to avoid more distributions using it.

Warm regards,
Kate Deplaix

Previous Next

GNU bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham, 1997,2003 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.