If from-file is a directory and to-file is not, sdiff compares the file in from-file whose file name is that of to-file, and vice versa. from-file and to-file may not both be directories.

sdiff options begin with -, so normally from-file and to-file may not begin with -. However, -- as an argument by itself treats the remaining arguments as file names even if they begin with -. You may not use - as an input file.

sdiff without -o (or --output) produces a side-by-side difference. This usage is obsolete; use diff --side-by-side instead.

-a

Treat all files as text and compare them line-by-line, even if they do not appear to be text.

-b

Ignore changes in amount of white space.

-B

Ignore changes that just insert or delete blank lines.

-d

Change the algorithm to perhaps find a smaller set of changes. This makes sdiff slower (sometimes much slower).

-H

Use heuristics to speed handling of large files that have numerous scattered small changes.

--expand-tabs

Expand tabs to spaces in the output, to preserve the alignment of tabs in the input files.

-i

Ignore changes in case; consider upper- and lower-case to be the same.

-I regexp

Ignore changes that just insert or delete lines that match regexp.

--ignore-all-space

Ignore white space when comparing lines.

--ignore-blank-lines

Ignore changes that just insert or delete blank lines.

--ignore-case

Ignore changes in case; consider upper- and lower-case to be the same.

--ignore-matching-lines=regexp

Ignore changes that just insert or delete lines that match regexp.

--ignore-space-change

Ignore changes in amount of white space.

-l

--left-column

Print only the left column of two common lines.

--minimal

Change the algorithm to perhaps find a smaller set of changes. This makes sdiff slower (sometimes much slower).

-o file

--output=file

Put merged output into file. This option is required for merging.

-s

--suppress-common-lines

Do not print common lines.

--speed-large-files

Use heuristics to speed handling of large files that have numerous scattered small changes.

-t

Expand tabs to spaces in the output, to preserve the alignment of tabs in the input files.

--text

Treat all files as text and compare them line-by-line, even if they do not appear to be text.

-v

--version

Output the version number of sdiff.

-w columns

--width=columns

Use an output width of columns. Note that for historical reasons, this option is -W in diff, -w in sdiff.

-W

Ignore horizontal white space when comparing lines. Note that for historical reasons, this option is -w in diff, -W in sdiff.