ksdiff
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Description:
Command-line tool for the App Store version of Kaleidoscope
Type: Cask  |  Latest Version: 3.3,146@0  |  Tracked Since: Aug 5, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  @kaleidoscopeapp  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Developer tools
Tags: diff merge version-control developer-tools kaleidoscope
Install: brew install --cask ksdiff
About:
The ksdiff command-line tool integrates the Kaleidoscope diff and merge engine into terminal workflows and other applications. It provides a high-quality visual diff for files and directories, enabling precise comparison and conflict resolution. Its primary value is bringing Kaleidoscope's powerful GUI comparison capabilities directly to command-line scripts and version control hooks.
Key Features:
  • Provides a visual file and directory diff from the command line
  • Integrates with version control systems (e.g., Git, SVN) as a diff/merge tool
  • Supports two-way and three-way merging operations
  • Enables detailed image and text comparison
  • Allows launching Kaleidoscope.app directly for manual inspection
Use Cases:
  • Configuring as an external diff tool for Git to review changes visually
  • Automating file comparison in shell scripts or CI/CD pipelines
  • Resolving merge conflicts by using it as a merge tool with version control
Alternatives:
  • diff – Standard Unix diff is text-only and terminal-based, lacking a graphical interface.
  • opendiff – Xcode's FileMerge tool; free but less feature-rich for complex merges and image diffs.
  • vimdiff – Powerful terminal-based diff within Vim, but requires Vim proficiency and is not graphical.
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Aug 5, 2025 2:20pm 3.3,146 0 VERSION_BUMP 7f191317